kiss kiss bang bang

Bryan and I ended up with this movie this weekend; I had never heard of it. We were aimless at Blockbuster on Friday, having wheedled our way through a week without the kids, and not really feeling like joining the throngs at a restaurant or movie theater.

Bryan remembered that a guy he works with really loves this movie, this guy who does video work for a living, so Bryan figures he knows what he’s talking about and has wanted to see it ever since. I was less enthusiastic, because – a) the back cover description seemed like it was an action movie, sort of, maybe? I really was looking for a movie that knew what it was and was good at it; b) you never know about those film guys, sometimes they just like obscure movies for the sake of their obscurity; and c) I’d never HEARD OF IT. Not heard of it one time, and then forgot about it, or something, but never. Not at all. However, I buckled because I didn’t really have a strong case for anything else, and because Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer were in it. I love them both. Especially Robert Downey Jr. That’s another post, I think…

Anyway, it was surprisingly great. Funny, warm, great story, great performances – I really, really liked it. Bryan did too. And it is an action movie…sort of. Actually, it’s that fun kind of movie that doesn’t fit neatly into one category (I typed ‘genre’ there first and then thought no, that’s really too movie critic of me). But our favorite thing was that it was a movie that was for people who like movies – there’s a lot of acknowledging what movies do and don’t do, and making fun of that. It’s quick and witty in the way that we wish we all could be, but it slows down enough to be real.

I should say, too, just for anyone who might take this as a recommendation and go rent this movie that they do cuss – that big word that really tends to offend people is in there a bunch – and there is an action element to the movie. People die. It says that in the aforementioned ambiguous back cover description, so I’m not giving away anything here. To me, it’s not overly gross or gratuitous. There’s your warning.

So, if you love movies, or either of those actors, or you’re just looking for something new, go find it in the comedy (it is, sort of) section of your local movie rental store.  In a time where so much is over hyped and then disappoints, it’s nice to find a movie you’ve never heard of that turns out to be so good.