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Oscar winner Russell Crowe packed on about 50 pounds for art’s sake. He creates a striking visual contrast opposite a trim Ryan Gosling in the fun new ***-’em-up buddy comedy-thriller “The Nice Guys.”
Since filming Crowe’s already sweated off most of the flab. But the movie co-written and directed by Shane Black remains little lardy. It’s overlong by about 15 minutes and goes in too many directions at once.
But thanks to a groovy period vibe and the A-list stars, you’re along for the ride.
The actors share a convincing chemistry that’s a must for a movie like this to purr. The setting is Los Angeles in 1977. Jackson Healy (Crowe) is tough-guy enforcer who isn’t dressed for the day without his flares and brass knuckles.
Holland March (Gosling) is a down-on-his-luck private eye screw-up with a drinking problem and a 13-year-old daughter, Holly (Angourie Rice, a natural-born scene stealer).
She becomes the conscience of the movie.
Holly’s also the voice of reason who tells it like it is.
Like when she tells her dad that he’s the worst detective in the world.
Ryan Gosling plays against his dreamboat type.
(TSM/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
The men meet un-cute when Healy breaks March’s arm to keep him away from pursuing a case. They end up as unlikely partners on the trail of a missing girl marked for death. The journey connects to the *** industry, Detroit automakers and a Justice Department biggie (Kim Basinger) with a dark side.
The mismatched private eyes weave their way though lavish parties and explosive shoot-outs. Bullets zip. One-liners fly.
Black wrote “Lethal Weapon” and knows his way around sharp dialogue.
By the time an John-Boy (Matt Bomer), an assassin with a name and major mole from “The Waltons,” the action gets a little slack and sloppy.
Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling play unlikely partners.
(Chinchilla/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
But the stars rock steady. Crowe plays to his tough-guy strengths, which have been seen before in “Gladiator” and “L.A. Confidential.” Gosling is his match, going against his virile dreamboat type — and proving to be a nimble pratfaller.
The movie’s spot-on disco-dusted setting is like another colorful character — one evoked even before the movie begins with a clever use of a ’70s-era Warner Brothers studio logo. Add tunes from Earth, Wind & Fire and America, posters of “Jaw 2” plus puka beads, *** ‘staches and polyester and it’s all a groovy ‘70s flashback. As summer popcorn-style entertainment, “The Nice Guys” gets the job done.