A fresh original take on a familiar set-up
Set in 1970s Los Angeles, Ryan Gosling as a high strung private investigator is hired to investigate the apparent suicide of a porn star. Meanwhile, Russell Crowe as a calm and collected independent enforcer is hired to protect a girl named Amelia but she disappears with heavy thugs closing in on her. It comes to light that both cases are somehow connected and so Gosling and Crowe decide to team up and despite their differences are surprisingly effective together. It may be the familiar buddy cop crime movie plot but rest assured, The Nice Guys has more than a few original and fun tricks up its sleeve to be the big burst of energy the noire genre sorely needed.
The pairing of Gosling and Crowe is fantastic, these two blend much better than you’d expect and are both clearly enjoying themselves with the enticing chemistry they share. Gosling as the jittery, slacken and unprofessional goof-ball bounces off Crowe’s professional, respectful and relaxed domineer perfectly. It’s a very fun and inventive and script that accentuates the tone of the film presented visually. This is the best Crowe has been in a very long time and may be the best Gosling has ever been. Special shout out going to Gosling’s daughter in the film Angourie Rice. A great performance for someone of her age and a terrific character who is more than capable of saving herself and her father for that matter. She’s the Penny to his Inspector Gadget if that comparison isn’t too outdated for you. The comedy is on point and rarely if ever fails to land. There’s always something to laugh about in every scene.
Thankfully the film is also short on clichés. While the set-up is as familiar the wake up-work-bed routine you’re probably stuck in, it steers clear of the genres notice board of “Stuff to include” and constantly defies expectations. Plans don’t always work, the 
detectives ‘brilliant’ deductions aren’t always right and characters I expected to get in the way, like the daughter, ended up pulling more weight than they needed to. You think you
know where the case is going and how it’s going to end up but it throws some good curve-balls at you. The absence of the typical “I don’t need you and I can solve this case on my own” moment that lasts about two scenes before they get together can’t be appreciated enough.
The story does lose itself at times. I sometimes asked myself “Why are they going there?” Or “Why do they need that again?” and other things along those lines. It seemed like the film was saying “Look, just roll with and you’re gonna have a fun time”. Granted you will, but the story could have been more cohesive, but then again the plot and narrative isn’t The Nice Guys main priority. It does, however, have great character moments showing that Gosling isn’t satisfied with his job and wants to show his daughter that he’s worth a damn, while Crowe does his gritty work because he wants to feel useful.
The setting of 1970s LA is magnificent. Director Shane Black made the city feel both charming and dangerous, inviting yet with a hint of suspicion disguised behind the extravagance. The flamboyant glamour of the era is recreated beautifully with its bright-light visuals, funky disco soundtrack and retro feel. It feels like it was made in the 70s but with today’s actors and production value.
The Nice Guys is one of the best films released so far this year and it’ll surely stay amoung the best by the year’s end. It’s unique and hilarious execution of familiar territory coupled with its inventive screenplay make it stand out and is the injection of originality that mainstream cinema has been in need of recently. I couldn’t get enough of it, the characters and elements are done excellently as it is, but a follow up could have a hundred stories to tell and I’d gladly sit through each and every one of them.
Dan's Digest 