Well, this is exciting. Shane Black’s The Nice Guys is my #6 most anticipated film of the year and the marketing for the film hasn’t stifled by anticipation at all. If you seek out any reviews or interviews regarding this film, all you hear about is the chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe and how magnetic it is. Both are great in their own way and even without seeing the film yet, I can see on paper why they would work so well together. Gosling can do stoic well (you now the film I mean), but he’s almost at his best when he’s being super charming and rubbing that up against Crowe’s intimidating presence sounds fun to me. That said, I have seen the trailer (and if you’ve been to the theater anytime in the last three months, you have too) and that dynamic is definitely felt.
The other big reason to be excited for The Nice Guys is Shane Black. Originally, I was on record of not being a fan of Iron Man 3. In fact, I went as far as to say it was the only film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe I outright didn’t like. However, I recently re-watched the film and even though it’s still a problematic film for me, there was a lot more I appreciated this time around and overall I enjoyed it for what it is. That is to say, the “Shane Black”-isms of Iron Man 3 are great and that’s what makes him a special talent. His unique approach is felt in all his films (as a writer or director), from Lethal Weapon to The Long Kiss Goodnight to Kiss Kiss Bang Bang to Iron Man 3. The Nice Guys is Black’s third time out as a director and what I love about it, is the film’s small scale, which has proven to be a cinematic playground for Black. The same goes for you Michael Bay, I hope you’re listening. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that Black can’t do big budget films, but he seems to be in peak form when he has more room to play with his characters and isn’t stifled by big studio interference. The dialogue he conjures for his characters and the plot turns he manipulates are incredible. He’s one of the best working today in the way he’s able to create a cinematic experience using those simple tactics.
With that in mind, The Nice Guys looks really fun and I can’t wait. What about you though? Are you excited? Let us know on social media or comment below.
Here’s a list of other movies that are coming out this weekend at the box office. A few noteworthy ones include Angry Birds and Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising.
Angry Birds
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising
Maggie’s Plan (limited)
Weiner (limited)
Ma Ma (limited)
