REVIEW: The Nice Guys

When I first got into podcasting about movies with Christopher Spicer just over three years ago, he was adamant that Ryan Gosling was someone that I should be adoring as a talent.  I had not seen many films of his, and I was not easily swayed that the former Young Hercules and alum from Breaker High was all that intriguing an acting prospect.  To set me straight, we decided to podcast a noir film staring Gosling called Gangster Squad.  I, with all conviction, can say that my opinion did not change the day that we visually ingested that lumpy and lukewarm dish.

I have to admit that since that time I have been won around on Gosling through films like Drive, The Place Beyond the Pines, and Blue Valentine.  The man can act and throws himself fully into his rolls, but would I find him appropriate in the comedy genre?  That is what The Nice Guys would answer.  Once again, I went to the theatres to see a Gosling noir film and I was hoping that my eyes would be opened to another aspect of his talents.

There was no disappointment with The Nice Guys.  From Gosling's tremendously in-depth and well rounded comedic chops, to the tight script that plays out like an old school mystery, this was a film that happily ate my admission price and made me more than willing to quickly tell others about it as soon as I left the screening.

The film is set in 1977 Los Angeles, with Gosling playing a private detective (Holland March) and Russell Crowe playing the part of an enforcer named Jackson Healy.  Circumstances bring them together as they have to solve the case of a suicide of a famous porn star.  It is the typical place setting for a buddy cop comedy, except these two are neither cops nor are they buddies.  The ground that this film embarks from may feel familiar and comforting, and that's because it is.  It is the type of film that we have seen before in the past, back before everything in the theatres was about reboots and sequels.  The pure energy of this film is the old friend that we have been missing for the past twenty years, and meeting up with them for two hours in the theatre is pure joy.

Much of the enjoyment comes from the interactions between Gosling and Crowe, who play off each other as though they have been in many films prior to this one.  Crowe plays the straight man, and delivers his lines with the steadiness and stone face needed to juxtapose the antics of his co-star.  Not only are they funny together, but they are captivating as well.  From beating up bad guys to talking about Richard Nixon and how he relates to angels, it is entertaining to see the two actors playing off each other.

Behind the two stars, you have a fast paced plot penned by Anthony Bagarozzi and director Shane Black.  There are no wasted scenes to be found in this film as it flows and delivers the unfolding of the mystery at a steady pace.  A lot of times I can predict what the final outcome will be, but that didn't happen in this case until the movie was wrapping up.  It was a breathe of fresh air in today's cinematic climate.

One thing that needs to be mentioned is the great detail that is paid to the wardrobe, hair, and set pieces.  This truly does feel like a well done period piece.  It goes a long way in taking the audience to 1970s Los Angeles, immersing the viewers in the sights and sounds of the location.

The film may not be for everyone.  I found that out when an older couple got up and walked out during the screening I was in.  It is an R-rated film, and movie goers need only look at the plot synopsis which mentions the porn industry to get an understanding of the type of content that will be in it.  There is nudity in the film, but it is not gratuitous in the way that an 80s Jean-Claude Van Damme movie would use it.

If you are looking for something that is geared towards adults and feels like a blast from cinema past, The Nice Guys is just waiting for you to get your ticket, park your arse in the seat, and enjoy the ride that it will take you on.  It is a terrific blend of comedy and action, with Gosling's performance being the standout.  The man can do comedy, there is no doubting that.  And there is no doubting that you will love your time spent with The Nice Guys.

Rating - 3.5 out of 4 stars

Drive

Here I am, only two days out from Christmas.  What that means in terms of my life is that I am more than a little stressed, because of top of the season to be merry, my wife and I are also moving.  That equals a lot of fun and entertainment as boxes and packing tape are strewn around the apartment with care.  Today was going to be my day to review Bad Santa, but numerous trips to the dump and other such adventures left little room for watching the movie.  Instead, I will take a look at the 2011 movie Drive, which was directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and stars Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan.

There are a number of different ways this film could be described.  Some may call it a drama, others may call it action, others may say that it has thriller elements.  It really is a film that is very hard to put into a box because it has a very unique personality to it.  It is a heavily stylized film, that calls upon the feel and sounds of the eighties, especially during the first act of the movie when we are getting introduced to the main characters.  There are many segments of the film with very little talking, as the mood and tone is communicated through the shots, the music, and the faces and postures of the actors.

Gosling plays The Driver, a stunt driver for movies and a mechanic who also moonlights as a very capable, competent, and precise getaway driver.  We never find out his name, or anything about his past, which is intentionally left out of the story.  His employer, played by Bryan Cranston, who is a very mild father figure to Gosling does not even know about his past.  Gosling's character is very quiet, very calm, and never shows a lot of emotions.  This is not because Gosling does a poor job acting out the character, but because there is something off with the very essence of The Driver, a veneer of placid looks and expressions that cover up frothing emotions. 

While Gosling is of few words, he is not one of few actions.  What makes this film interesting is the extreme nature of Gosling's deeds as they are being carried out by an almost mono-tone soul.  We never get the sense that he is void of all emotions and is a sociopath, but that he is withdrawn from society and lets very little of his personality ever show through.

If described as an action movie (which the foundation of the film could easily be compared to), it is possibly one of the slowest moving out there.  Do not take that to mean that it is boring, however.  The entire feel of the movie seems to mirror the personality of The Driver, making it paced calmly and purposefully with a lot of underlying emotion.  When the action does take place, it is very much to the point, and eerily introduced at times with a graphic nature that bursts the bubble of the of the good natured film we may have thought we had on our hands.  Just as people in the movie became surprised at the manner in which The Driver acted, the audience shares the same emotion with the film which is the nice guy next door that has a secret violent streak to him.

A lot of people may have a hard time with this film because of the odd tempo it has, especially when contrasted by the graphic action elements.  The two do not seem to marry well together in theory, but as I mentioned, the movie is a mirror of the character of The Driver.  Perhaps you have met someone before who was shy and quiet, kept to themselves but scared you to your core when they were instigated.  This film is that person, and it melds the calm and the storm together in a very dramatic story with a unique style and feel like no other.

Rating - 3.5 out of 4 stars