Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

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Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

R

2005

1h 42m

Mystery & Thriller

LGBTQ+

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Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

185 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Two-bit crook Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.) stumbles into an audition for a mystery film while on the run from the cops. Winning the part, he lands in Hollywood, where he's flung into a tangled, murderous conspiracy with his childhood sweetheart, Harmony Lane (Michelle Monaghan), and hard-boiled private eye Perry van Shrike (Val Kilmer). This deadpan, affectionate parody of film noir tropes is named for film critic Pauline Kael's influential 1968 collection of film reviews and essays.

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Critics Consensus

Tongue-in-cheek satire blends well with entertaining action and spot-on performances in this dark, eclectic neo-noir homage.

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Christopher Orr

The Atlantic

12/14/2014

The plot of the film is almost willfully convoluted. But it's also largely beside the point, an excuse for quite a few good scenes, most of them equal parts homage and subversion.

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Wendy Ide

The Times (UK)

12/14/2014

A sarky, sniping film noir homage that assassinates the character of every LA archetype you could imagine.

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Philippa Hawker

The Age (Australia)

12/14/2014

4/5

A self-referential noir-screwball-action movie that never wears out its welcome -- although it delights in taking that risk, over and over again.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Mar 19

4/5

‘…a clever, funny, original take on the noir genre…’

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James D. Williams

InSession Film

Nov 14

A

This movie is one of the few noir black comedies with action that we have from the early aughts that had its own voice.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

04/09/2025

3/4

From its opening moments, it’s clear Black isn’t making a buddy/action movie as much as a send-up of a buddy/action movie.

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Antony B

@RT29664284 Jul 26

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a glorious mess in all the right ways, a detective story that zigzags between laughs, danger, and genuine heartbreak without ever losing its footing. Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer are electric together, trading sharp banter with the kind of chemistry you can't fake. Every twist feels playful instead of forced, and beneath the wisecracks is a surprisingly tender story about broken people fumbling toward redemption. It's the rare noir that reminds you life can be absurd, violent, hilarious, and strangely beautiful, all before the next punchline lands.

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Jay B

@Jay2025 Jul 5

Ok acting but very good crime, Comedy, or Romance

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S. O

@Col._Angus Jun 10

Mainly silly, but still entertaining. Kind of a fairy tale.

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Interested P

@Interested Jun 7

There's no denying Shane Black is a great writer, a legend. That said, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was trying too hard to appear clever instead of actually being clever. The playfulness of the plot and the way it was told undercut the drama such that the end result is a viewing that felt very low on stakes. Finally, having a gay detective felt like a gimmick instead of feeling like an organic inclusion. Boondock Saints did this as well, having a gay FBI agent. It's a cheap character that relies on being gay as the joke, instead of simply writing a good, interesting character.

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Maarit L

@Komedienne Jun 3

The movie had plenty of good humor and funny moments. I enjoyed it, even though the plot wasn’t particularly strong. The cast was excellent!

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Thyaagu C

@Thyaagu Mar 2

Entertainingly annoying...!

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Shane Black

Director

Robert Downey Jr.

Harry Lockhart

Val Kilmer

Gay Perry

Michelle Monaghan

Harmony Faith Lane

Corbin Bernsen

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Synopsis

Two-bit crook Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.) stumbles into an audition for a mystery film while on the run from the cops. Winning the part, he lands in Hollywood, where he's flung into a tangled, murderous conspiracy with his childhood sweetheart, Harmony Lane (Michelle Monaghan), and hard-boiled private eye Perry van Shrike (Val Kilmer). This deadpan, affectionate parody of film noir tropes is named for film critic Pauline Kael's influential 1968 collection of film reviews and essays.

Director: Shane Black
Producer: Shane Black, Joel Silver
Screenwriter: Shane Black
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Silver Pictures, Warner Brothers
Rating: R (Nudity|Language|Sexuality|Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 11, 2005, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.2M
Runtime: 1h 42m

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