The stakes are high. The Nice Guys may share the vibe of a spoof and, to a large extent it plays out like one, but Black’s characters are real and fleshed out — from March’s relationship with his wisecracking daughter to Healy’s powerful backstory (which might be best heard with coffee) — and the plot contrivances may be outrageous but escalate rapidly, like a particularly foulmouthed Hardy Boys story.

Both Russell Crowe as the washed-up, rough-edged bouncer-on-hire Healy, and Ryan Gosling as the cynical, heavy-drinking private investigator March are good and cleverly cast.

A no-holds-barred throwback to the hedonistic 1970s, The Nice Guys is one of the most fun movies you are likely to see this year.

Replete with nudity and violence, if eccentric crime dramas with a dash of dark comedy are up your street, The Nice Guys is your film.

The Gosling-Crowe pairing, obviously. The promise of some great jokes. A lot of murders. And a time long gone. Go, if you’re into all that.

If you’re planning on watching something this weekend, The Nice Guys should be your first pick. Not just for the sharpness of the script and screenplay, but also because it’s a wholesome mix of movie genres. And it serves up ’70s Hollywood in the most evocative and funny way. Besides, the actors look like they’re having a ball, the director’s got your attention throughout the film and the ’70s is presented to perfection. What more could you ask for?

The writing may not be entirely up to the mark but the actors more than make up for the deficit. Crowe, Gosling and Angourie Rice make the ensuing mayhem look entertaining enough. Despite Shane Black’s penchant for the absurd, it’s still very much a joy ride!

Without the kinetic energy of Robert Downey Jr it’s definitely not an all time classic like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang but it’s still a crazy amount of fun. With such quality cinema out in theaters it’s silly to pass on an opportunity to get tickets. The only difficult thing here is the two year wait for Black’s next film, a sequel to the legendary Predator.

Laughter and entertainment is guaranteed! A great way to unwind after a monotonous week, this movie is ideal to raise your spirits with your partner-in-crime. 

The Nice Guys is a ‘nice’-ish film that doesn’t try too hard. And that is a relief.

Watching writer-director Shane Black’s neo-noir comedy makes you feel naughty, like you have sneakily eaten the last piece of cake your mother told you not to touch, or jumped to the end of a thriller to find out whodunit.