Set up in the 1970's during the rise in gas inflation and the energy crisis, Private Investigator Holland March (Ryan Gosling) crosses paths with Private Investigator Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe), who are both searching for the same missing female and connect the dots to a conspiracy. As they put the pieces together, they'll stop at nothing to solve the murder and bring the true culprits to justice.
Excellent Execution & Character Chemistry
From the opening to the end of the film, the audience truly gets a feel of what the 1970s was, from fashion styles to disco music in the city of Los Angeles, one can easily notice that the writers, location scouts, and directors did thorough research to bring the 1970s feel to life on the big screen. Those that are post-1970s have a taste of life back then, while those of the 1970s certainly are reminded of their experiences and the overall layout. The plot itself is one that can be recognized in past films yet brings a different feel and new energy, from the characters to the overall setting. Because it is a cop film to an extent, there are certain plot points and character connections the audience must make on their own, which is not necessarily a bad thing, the audience just has to pay attention and remain thoroughly engaged throughout to make the connections.
Adding on to the surrounding and time period is the successful character chemistry between Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling. Two Private Investigators, yet completely opposite in personalities and in how they handle their jobs. How Russell Crowe handles and portrays his character is how I would suspect him to in the first place—controlled, rough and tough, organized, and calm to an extent. On the other side of the spectrum is Ryan Gosling, who is very different compared to his past films such as "Drive" (2011) and "The Big Short" (2015). While his character is a Private Investigator, he does not come off as fierce or intimidating as Russell Crowe. Rather, he comes off as unorganized, quirky, and he acts without thinking, all while trying to balance the relationship with his daughter. With these two characters being complete opposites, how they play off each other's dialogue and how they respond to certain situations is well-executed as they both share an equal balance in carrying the film. One minor character that played a rather large contributing role was the daughter of Gosling's character, Holly (Angourie Rice). Like her father, she acts in the moment as she brings her curiosity to solving the case. To see child actors contribute this much to film reminds me just how much they can contribute to film despite their ages and limits.
While this film is under the genre of drama, it brings a good amount of comedic relief throughout. This can be seen in the dialogue exchange between Gosling and Crowe and how certain scenes are executed with minor characters and plot points. The comedy is enjoyable, but it is not gut-busting either. Rather, it is just enough to keep the audience entertained and engaged throughout the film without distracting from the major plot points and connections.
Unnecessary, Over-Sexualized Characters
It is understandable as to why a number of scenes that contained nudity or sexual arousal made due to the fact that this was the decade of the sexual revolution and the victim was involved in the pornography industry. This being said, a large amount of the sexuality and nudity felt like it was more for show than connecting to the overall plot. Throughout the first half of the film, it felt very forced and very unnecessary. Again, understanding the time period and setting plus the plot, it was necessary but not to the extent that was executed throughout the film.
Final Film Thoughts
Dialogue: Excellent. Character Chemistry: Perfect. Plot: Recognizable, but with a few twists. While it is not a buddy cop movie, "The Nice Guys" certainly has that feel with Crowe and Gosling. Based on the successful dialogue and time setting portrayal, the film brought something new to the drama/dark comedy drama.
Final Film Review: 4 out of 5.
