Gay Perry’s Movie Drinking Game
Down a Shot: every time Gay Perry uses snark, sass, and wit to his advantage to thwart off homophobic jabs
Down a Shot: each time a new piece is added to this feature length jigsaw puzzle of epic proportions or a new corpse is discovered via odd measures such as accidentally peeing on it or drunkenly rolling over it in the dark (oh wait, that second one is from The Nice Guys. Maybe I’m drunk…).
Drink Responsibly: or you’ll find yourself in grave danger and almost lose a body part or two, much like Harry during a majority of this movie’s run time. Also , RDJ sure is a master at shrieking.
By: Vidal D’Costa (A Toast) –
Val Kilmer plays Gay Parry, a wisecracking PI who takes his job seriously and who crosses paths with Robert Downey Jr.’s devilishly charming Harry Lockhart, a former magician turned thief masquerading as an actor (yet another career-defining role by Kirk Lazarus of Tropic Thunder fame!). Both men find themselves unexpectedly teaming up, much to Gay Perry’s chagrin, to fight crimes and find themselves entangled in all sorts of bizarre escapades. And as you can imagine, things get bloody and really out of hand.
A Toast
I’m always in awe of the inane amount of outrageous subplots that Shane Black can pack into one movie and then build up to a glorious climax wherein all the puzzle pieces come together to finally make sense. The man is a genius at crafting movies that resemble something straight out of the pulp fiction crime novels of yore and which are even an homage to the same. Later, these novels also play a key role as a character themselves in the murder mystery.
Black’s penchant for playing around with and even subverting and parodying the tropes of the noir murder mystery genre instead of adhering to a by the book approach is also on full display here especially in the characterisation. The common and dated trope of the heterosexual brooding detective is done away with in favour of an out and proud homosexual detective who goes by the moniker of Gay Perry but who also vehemently opposes the frequent homophobia that he faces. Perry isn’t afraid of taking a stand against jabs towards his sexuality and even throw hands and exchanges bullets when push comes to shove. And seeing a homosexual character who isn’t simply relegated to the token gay best friend onscreen or simply a side character with not much to do is an added bonus in the Hollywood mainstream.
Similarly, Michelle Monaghan’s heroine Harmony may come across as a quirky love interest or a stereotypical damsel in distress, but she is far more layered than that, as proven by her feisty nature and her ability to stand up for herself in later scenes, especially in scenes wherein her childhood friend Harry Lockhart attempts to play the overly chivalrous and creepy saviour card with her.
The visuals of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, particularly enhanced by its impeccable cinematography and bold, rich colour palette, are glossy, glamorous, & retro even though it is set in the modern period, and as expected from a Shane Black venture, there are countless detours due to its non-linear narrative and in part due to shady Harry Lockhart’s unreliable narration which further adds to the sense of intrigue and unpredictability.
Val Kilmer does a terrific job of slipping into the trench coat of Gay Perry, oozing equal amounts of suave and snark while also steering clear of any dated stereotypes or clichéd caricatures. He is the lead of the piece through and through and he won’t let anybody forget that! Robert Downey, Jr. as Gay Perry’s sidekick, who is more of a thorn in his side rather than helpful, delivers a side-splittingly funny act. Michelle Monaghan is a delight to watch as the glamorous and gutsy Harmony.
Verdict
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a mind boggling and zany but enjoyable neo noir thriller- dark comedy-buddy cop flick and it has all the ingredients that you’d expect from a typical Shane Black venture, so if you’re a fan of the filmmaker’s work like I am, then you’ll love it to bits. While it shares some similarities and peculiarities with its spiritual successor The Nice Guys, it is still a unique ride to sit through and can even be viewed as a standalone. It is also straight-up popcorn entertainment, so just buckle up & keep your hands in the safety zone at all times. As I mentioned earlier, it might get slightly bloody & choppy.
P.S. I also love how Christmassy this movie is.
