The Nice Guys, 2016.
Directed by Shane Black.
Starring Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer, Margaret Qualley, Keith David, and Kim Basinger.
SYNOPSIS:
Are you a fan of Shane Black’s 2016 film The Nice Guys, which features Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling as a mismatched pair with tons of onscreen chemistry? Then you’ll probably appreciate the chance to nab this one on 4K Ultra HD, but be warned that you don’t get a code for a digital copy, nor the Blu-ray that was previously issued, and the bonus features are still of the “blink and you’ll miss them” variety. Still, it’s worth picking up, even as a blind buy.
The Nice Guys slipped by me when it was released in 2016, so I was glad to give it a spin when I had a chance to check out this new 4K Ultra HD release of the film. Co-written and directed by Shane Black, this one is set in 1970s Los Angeles and features Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe in a buddy story that also has shades of film noir in it.
Gosling is Holland March, a private eye hired to find the porn star Misty Mountains (gotta love the Led Zeppelin reference), whose aunt insists she saw her after her unfortunate death. He crosses paths with Crowe’s Jackson Healy, an enforcer who beats up March when he takes an interest in a woman named Amelia Kuttner (Margaret Qualley) during his investigation.
After a pair of thugs beat up Healy for taking an interest in Amelia, however, he decides that she could be in danger and teams up with March to find her. There travels take them into the 70s porn industry in LA, along with an auto show that ends up being the place where an explosive secret will be revealed.
That’s an oversimplification of the plot, but The Nice Guys is the kind of movie where you just need to buckle up and enjoy the ride, with all the twists and turns along the way. Trust me when I say that there’s a connection between porn and the auto show, and it doesn’t feel forced at all.
Gosling and Crowe are a lot of fun to watch, too, with the former’s goofiness a nice contrast to the latter’s hardheaded nature. They have great chemistry, and there are plenty of amusing moments where March seems to be about to play the hero before fumbling the situation. He has his redeemable moments too, of course, and Healy has a nice little arc thanks to the influence of March’s daughter, Holly (Angourie Rice).
This new 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros. marks the movie’s debut on the format, although my understanding is that the version of the film found here was sourced from the same 2K digital intermediate used for the 2016 Blu-ray. That said, it looked and sounded great on my setup, and I’m confident that you’ll feel the same if you give this one a spin.
Unfortunately, you don’t get that aforementioned Blu-ray, nor is there a code for a digital copy, although my understanding is that the aforementioned Blu-ray release had a digital code.
The bonus features are also scant, with a pair of short featurettes, Always Bet on Black and Worst. Detectives. Ever. Making The Nice Guys, that run just shy of 12 minutes total. They’re worth watching, especially the latter, since it digs a bit into co-writer/director Shane Black’s lengthy career and the ups and downs this project went through before it was finally made.
Hopefully a more elaborate release will be available some day, since The Nice Guys is an under-appreciated gem that deserves a bit more love.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Brad Cook
