Me, back in February, directly from my review of "Drive", my opinion on Ryan Gosling:

"This is my first movie with him, and I can safely say, this has to be one of the most uninteresting actors I think I've ever seen in a motion picture."

Me now, after seeing "La La Land", "The Big Short", and this:

".......

I was a fucking idiot nearly a year ago."

94

"Why don't we invite him in?"

"No animals in the house, sweetheart."

Goes right into a certain pile of movies (The Big Lebowski, Inherent Vice, The Long Goodbye) which utilize comedic trappings to explore emptiness, loss, and the strangling grip of capitalism. The tightest, snappiest, most deceptively beautiful screenplay in years.

feels like it was one draft away from being a really good movie (which puts it several drafts ahead of most other studio films so far this year). nice to have the real Shane Black back and doing the shtick he does so well, but too many of the gags fall flat, and the noir plot window-dressing — while meant to be inscrutable — is frustratingly empty. Johnny Gossamer would not approve.

on the other hand, russell crowe is *fantastic,* and gosling gets the job done.

75/100

The definition of pure summer pleasure. Shane Black builds a comedic duo like no one else, but Gosling and Crowe take every frazzled, frustrated, blumbering word and morph it into hilarity. Gosling, in particular, is the undeniable showstopper, adding clarity and innocence to an already lovable doofus of puppy-like charms. And although the action is crisp, its Noir elements crumble to pieces because of the flabby pacing. These rough patches take a special film and lower its aspirations to the point where walking out with a satisfied grin was strangely disappointing.

“you know who else was just following orders? hitler”

Don't say "and stuff", just say "they were doing anal".

Shane Black is the king of dark comedy, it's just a shame he released this during a time when there were like 5 summer blockbuster superhero movies out.

This movie deserved to have made a lot more money than it did. Very funny, charming and very detailed.

I watched this film not very long ago. 
I watched it with my brother, his girlfriend and my mum at our grandmas beach house in Torquay.
As for what actually happened in the film, I cannot remember at all. 
I just recall Ryan Gosling rolling down a hill or something, but that’s it.

I had to question the mermaids. What were you doing while I was working?

This, for me, is Film Heaven.

A deliberately complex hardboiled ‘tec narrative that fuses it’s A & B plots in pleasingly Chandleresque fashion, this is Shane Black right in the centre of his comfort zone and the results are insanely entertaining.

Russell Crowe is at his most likably gruff here but overall, I’d have to say this is Gosling’s film. He’s a complete revelation, finding broad comedy chops I never thought he had. He gives some deliveries and performs some physical shtick that is wonderfully funny, reminiscent of great silent-era comedians. 

More rewatchable than perhaps any film I’ve seen in the last few years, it zips along with a great energy and a zinger-packed script and the added bonus of being an unofficial LA Confidential reunion for Crowe & Basinger.

I could watch these nice guys crack a new case every couple of years, no problem at all.

Adorable

Unfortunately the 70s style doesn’t make up for its predictable and exhausting writing.

First viewing was in theaters.
Second viewing was better with alcohol. Cheers. 🍻 

*to the birds*
*hallelujah*

at 01:43:08 holly does the "you want it? go get it" technique and thats how she survives.

STREET SMARTS