Summary
With 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, Robert Downey Jr.’sKiss Kiss Bang Bangdeserved better at the box office. As one of the most famous actors in the world,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 inAvengers: 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 asWeird Science,Due Date, andTropic 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.
Every Major Movie Role Robert Downey Jr. Almost Played
Robert Downey Jr. has played some of the most iconic movie characters, including Iron Man and Sherlock, but he almost played Batman and Maverick too.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Was A Great Movie (Despite Its Box Office Flop)
Shane Black Built A Movie On Subversions
Kiss Kiss Bang Bangwas a great movie and the directorial debut of Shane Black, who went on to directIron 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 theLethal Weaponfranchise 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 Bangis a movie built on subversionsin 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 makesKiss Kiss Bang Bangso 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, providingKiss Kiss Bang Bang’smost 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 inKiss 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 themost underrated comedies.Kiss Kiss Bang Bangdefinitely deserved better at the box office because it is such a highly rated movie that is still enjoyed nearly 20 years later
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Cast
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.
