|
By
DEBORAH NICOL
Something's rotten in L.A.,
and it seems to be Harry Lockhart's life. This
tough-on-his-luck thief literally falls into a
cushy film role, and his world falls apart shortly
afterwards. First-time director Shane Black
(writer of "Lethal Weapon" films) molds a
beautifully dark film about the netherworld of
lala land with a little hip noir and a lotta fresh
pulp.
Robert Downey Jr. plays the role we love to see
him portray. As the hapless, inept, mumbling fool
that doesn't know when to shut up but always knows
when to stick his foot in his mouth, Downey Jr.
excels where others would carry the goofiness over
the edge. As the film's guide and narrator, Harry
talks back to the audience, rewinds the images,
and comments on the plausibility of the story. His
comedy is so natural that you believe he was the
dork next door that never got the girl and wasn't
quite smart enough to grow up and be successful in
order to show up all the jocks. Yeah, that guy.
Val Kilmer plays Harry's L.A. tour guide in the
guise of Gay Perry, P.I. With a steely gaze and a
stinging wisecrack for each of Harry's attempts to
emphasize his own heterosexuality, Kilmer is
subtle as the pistol-whipping (not-so) straight
man. Michelle Monaghan jabs a knife into the usual
girl-who-got-away role, as her character attempts
to reconcile her past while turning around her
future. More than Tom Cruise's screen girl (à la
"MI:III"), Monaghan has been creeping into
theatres with small but noticeable roles ("North
Country"), and has finally been given a character
she has time to inhabit. Her Harmony is tough and
quirky with only an ounce of L.A. showmanship but
without an inch of regret in her actions.
These three are enveloped in a seamy world that
mirrors the Johnny Gossamer detective stories they
read as kids. Even the days are marked with
chapter titles in this universe of unhappy
accidents and cursed serendipity. Seemingly
unrelated mysteries merge and intertwine until
everyone is holding a piece of the puzzle and no
one's hands are left clean. Though previously just
a small-time crook, Harry can't seem to survive a
day in the Golden State without committing or
witnessing a heinous crime, and those days are
awfully hazy and the nights awfully long.
Though a Christmas-time story, neon blues and reds
alternate in emphasis throughout the scenes, both
constantly engulfed in black. The look of the film
is dark, but Downey Jr.'s narration breathes life
into any trace of stale air. The mood is modern
and trendy, and yet there is a slick 60s mystery
growing from within. The extremely cool retro
titles at the beginning of the film clue the
audience in that this may be more than just a
nifty theme.
Black has pieced together what great pulp should
be: partly grimy, partly slick, and always a good
time. Based on his own writing and on a novel by
mystery maestro Brett Halliday, death shoves its
way through every door, and the heroes attempting
to stop him don't always remember the secret
knock. The locals acknowledge that L.A.'s shelves
are stocked with damaged goods and too many have
hit their expiration dates. But beyond the
betrayals, the bloodshed, the body count (and my
bad puns), remember -- this is a comedy.
The DVD includes a gag real and a trailer. Also
included is a commentary track by Black, Downey
Jr. and Kilmer. However, Kilmer hams it up like a
little kid yearning for attention, and though
Downey Jr. attempts to steer the commentary
towards relevant information, Kilmer cannot be
contained. A shame. |
