Summary
- Robert Downey Jr.'s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang deserved better at the box office, with an 86% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- The film features genre subversions and a complex, self-aware plot that keeps audiences engaged.
- Downey's chemistry with Val Kilmer as Gay Perry provides hilarious moments in this underrated comedy.
With 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, Robert Downey Jr.’s Robert Downey Jr. has a long career in movies, known best for his role as Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a character he played for 11 years until Iron Man’s death in Avengers: Endgame. The actor will also soon leave another mark on the MCU when he plays the iconic Fantastic Four villain, Doctor Doom.
Although he is mostly known for his role in Marvel’s action-packed blockbuster films, Robert Downey Jr. has featured in movies of multiple genres over the years, including a few comedies. Starring in notable films such as Weird Science, Due Date, and Tropic Thunder, which all performed well at box office, Downey seems to thrive in dialogue-driven roles, especially when it comes to comedy. However, Shane Black’s 2005 directorial debut film, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, which Robert Downey Jr. had a lead role in, did not have a high box office return despite being highly praised with 86% on Rotten Tomatoes.
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Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Was A Great Movie (Despite Its Box Office Flop)
Shane Black Built A Movie On Subversions
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was a great movie and the directorial debut of Shane Black, who went on to direct Iron Man 3. The neo-noir black comedy follows Harry Lockhart, a thief from New York City who accidentally auditions for a movie role, landing himself in LA where he stumbles upon a murder investigation. With a $15 million budget, the film only grossed $15.8 million worldwide, which is a shocking box office flop considering it was directed by the creator of the Lethal Weapon franchise and starred Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer, who were big names at the time.
With a $15 million budget, the film only grossed $15.8 million worldwide, which is a shocking box office flop...
The underrated comedy earns its Rotten Tomatoes score due to its complex plot, which unravels like the Johnny Gossamer murder mystery novels featured in the film. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a movie built on subversions in its comedy, genre, and plot, as the neo-noir genre gets turned on its head due to the film’s self-awareness, and the jokes come from a place of unexpected absurdity. Although Robert Downey Jr.’s narration as Harry Lockhart provides an interesting comedic experience, his interactions with Val Kilmer (who plays a hired investigator called Gay Perry) are really what makes the film so good.
Robert Downey Jr. And Val Kilmer’s Chemistry Provides Great Comedy
Gay Perry Is So Done With Harry Lockhart
Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer’s chemistry is what makes Kiss Kiss Bang Bang so funny. Downey thrives in dialogue-driven roles, so, as narrator, Harry is the perfect role for him to shine in. Harry leads the audience through a confusing and unreliable narrative, as he forgets details and talks to the viewers about the movie's clichés. However, without Val Kilmer, the movie would not have been anywhere near as funny. Throughout the film, Gay Perry is tortured by Harry Lockhart, who constantly accidentally interferes with the very serious murder investigation, providing Kiss Kiss Bang Bang's most hilarious quotes.
Harry: Do you think I'm stupid?
Perry: I don't think you'd know where to put food at, if you didn't flap your mouth so much. Yes, I think you're stupid.
Kilmer’s line deliveries are spot on in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, with Gay Perry sarcastically commenting on nearly everything Harry says. However, Downey plays Lockhart as the perfect idiot for Perry to bounce off, providing a short-tempered yet completely oblivious character. Shane Black’s genre subversion and the film’s playful self-awareness, alongside Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer’s hilarious chemistry, solidifies its 86% Rotten Tomatoes score, making it one of the most underrated comedies. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang definitely deserved better at the box office because it is such a highly rated movie that is still enjoyed nearly 20 years later
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Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
- Release Date
- November 18, 2005
- Runtime
- 103 minutes
- Director
- Shane Black
Cast
Val Kilmer
WHERE TO WATCH
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a comedy crime movie starring Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, and Michelle Monaghan. The movie follows a New York-based thief who finds himself in Hollywood after being mistaken for a famous actor. Once in Los Angeles, he ends up in the middle of a murder investigation.
- Writers
- Brett Halliday, Shane Black
- Studio(s)
- Warner Bros. Pictures
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