Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
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| Kiss Kiss Bang Bang | |
 Promotional poster for Kiss Kiss Bang Bang |
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| Directed by | Shane Black |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Joel Silver |
| Written by | Novel: Brett Halliday Screenplay: Shane Black |
| Starring | Robert Downey Jr. Val Kilmer Michelle Monaghan Corbin Bernsen |
| Music by | John Ottman |
| Cinematography | Michael Barrett |
| Editing by | Jim Page |
| Studio | Silver Pictures |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release date(s) | November 11, 2005 |
| Running time | 103 min. |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $15,000,000 (estimated) |
| Gross revenue | Domestic $4,243,756[1] Foreign $11,541,392[1] Worldwide $15,785,148[1] |
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a 2005 crime/black comedy film, which engages many conventions of the classic film noir genre in a tongue-in-cheek fashion. It is based, in part, on the novel Bodies Are Where You Find Them by Brett Halliday. The cast includes Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer and Michelle Monaghan. The screenplay was written by Shane Black who also directed the film. It was produced by Joel Silver, and co-produced by Downey's wife Susan Downey (who is credited as Susan Levin). The film's title is a reference to Pauline Kael's 1968 book, which in turn was named after a translation of an Italian poster of a James Bond movie, which she called "perhaps the briefest statement imaginable of the basic appeal of the movies."[2]
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was filmed in Los Angeles between February 24 and May 3, 2004. After debuting at the Cannes Film Festival in France on May 14, it received a limited release in cinemas in late October and early November 2005. It was the first film produced by Public Media Works, a production company founded by Corbin Bernsen.[3]
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[edit] Plot
The film is narrated by a small-time criminal, Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.). He is self-aware and talks to the audience at various times throughout the movie. (See also the theatre concept of the fourth wall and metafiction.)
Running from police after a botched robbery, Harry evades the cops by running into a movie audition for a hardboiled film and, ironically, impresses the producers with his recollection of the late 'hit' having gone awry and resulting in the death of his accomplice (which they mistake for rehearsing material). He is then brought to Hollywood, where he's introduced to homosexual private investigator "Gay" Perry van Shrike (Val Kilmer), enlisted to help Harry prepare for his role in the movie.
Harry is introduced to Hollywood parties and encounters his dream-girl, Harmony Lane (Michelle Monaghan), a girl Harry has known since childhood. The two childhood friends leave for Harry's apartment, but budding romance is squelched when Harry proceeds to drunkenly have sex with Harmony's friend.
Following around Perry at his job, Harry stumbles upon evidence of a complicated murder mystery eerily similar to the detective stories that Harry and Harmony grew up reading. The three team up to solve the mystery and encounter a series of seemingly nonsensical problems.
[edit] Cast
- Robert Downey Jr. as Harry Lockhart
- Val Kilmer as "Gay" Perry van Shrike
- Michelle Monaghan as Harmony Faith Lane
- Corbin Bernsen as Harlan Dexter
- Dash Mihok as Mr. Frying Pan
- Larry Miller as Dabney Shaw
- Rockmond Dunbar as Mr. Fire
- Shannyn Sossamon as Pink Hair Girl
- Angela Lindvall as Flicka
[edit] Reception
[edit] Critical
The film was significantly praised, but due to its limited release, was overlooked for major awards and was voted "Overlooked Film of the Year" by the 2005 Phoenix Film Critics Society on December 20, 2005.
Many critics admired the film for its sharp and clever comedy, as well as alluding to Black's directing and Downey's and Kilmer's screen chemistry and individual performances.[who?] Mike Russell of the Portland Oregonian observed that "This is one of Downey's most enjoyable performances, and one of Kilmer's funniest. It's a relationship comedy wrapped in sharp talk and gunplay, a triumphant comeback for Black, and one of the year's best movies".[4] Jeff Otto, an IGN critic, wrote that "It takes a bunch of genres and twists them into a blender, a pop relic that still feels current...one of the best times I've had at the movies this year."[5]
[edit] Box office
Despite the film's mainly positive reviews, it did not garner much attention at the United States or international box office.
The film opened on October 20 in the United States, with a limited release. From its release until mid-November, the film's distribution increased every weekend due to its favorable critical reviews. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang stayed in release in the United States until early January.[6] The film earned a total of $4,243,756 in the United States.[1]
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang grossed far more outside the United States, accounting for just over 70% of the film's worldwide gross, accumulating $11,541,392.[1] The film ended up earning $15,785,148 worldwide at cinema.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (2005)". Box Office Mojo. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=kisskissbangbang.htm. Retrieved on 2007-04-28.
- ^ :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews :: Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (xhtml)
- ^ Bernsen goes DVD premiere. Public Media Works premiere its first movie Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Daily Variety, September, 2005
- ^ Mike Russel. "Don't miss the 'Kiss'". OregonLive.com. http://www.oregonlive.com/movies/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/1131575115286180.xml&coll=7. Retrieved on 27 January 2006.
- ^ Jeff Otto. "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang Review". IGN. http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/660/660049p1.html. Retrieved on 27 January 2006.
- ^ "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (2005) - Weekend Box Office". Box Office Mojo. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=kisskissbangbang.htm. Retrieved on 15 April 2006.
[edit] External links
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