Cult 101: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
Director: Shane Black Run Time: 103 min. Rating: R Release Year: 2005
Starring: Corbin Bernsen, Dash Mihok, Michelle Monaghan, Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer
Country: United States
Language: English
Presented as part of the 2023 edition of Cult 101.
About the film:
From producer Joel Silver and screenwriter Shane Black of Lethal Weapon fame comes Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005), a sly blend of Black’s signature buddy movie and classic film noir.
A thief on the run (Downey Jr.) unwittingly auditions for a part in a Hollywood detective movie. To prepare for his screen test, he is teamed with a tough guy private eye (Kilmer) and an aspiring actress (Monaghan), and they soon find themselves caught in the middle of a real-life murder mystery filled with twists, turns, betrayal and, most importantly, romance.
The film screened at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival where Black competed for the Camera d’Or for Best First Feature.
About the filmmaker:
Shane Black is an American filmmaker and actor known for his work in the action genre. He wrote and directed four feature films, beginning with his directorial debut Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) followed by Iron Man 3 (2013), The Nice Guys (2016), and The Predator (2018). He is the original creator of the Lethal Weapon franchise, and has written the screenplays for Lethal Weapon (1987), The Monster Squad (1987) – co-written with his friend and long-time collaborator Fred Dekker – The Last Boy Scout (1991), Last Action Hero (1993), and The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996). As an actor, Black is best known for his early role as Rick Hawkins in Predator (1987). He studied film and theater at UCLA and graduated in 1983.
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