A sharp, fast-moving buddy-cop noir that blends hardboiled mystery, slapstick, and 1970s Los Angeles grime into something unusually lively. The chemistry between the leads and the screenplay’s constant reversals make it easy to recommend, especially if you like crime stories with a comic edge.
The Nice Guys
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · Comedy · Crime
Sun · 1h 56m
Director: Shane Black
Starring: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice
Overview
A private eye investigates the apparent suicide of a fading porn star in 1970s Los Angeles and uncovers a conspiracy.
Director
Shane Black
Cast
Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice
Curator Review
Verdict
A sharp, fast-moving buddy-cop noir that blends hardboiled mystery, slapstick, and 1970s Los Angeles grime into something unusually lively. The chemistry between the leads and the screenplay’s constant reversals make it easy to recommend, especially if you like crime stories with a comic edge.
Best for
fans of buddy-cop comedies
viewers who like neo-noir with jokes
people who enjoy 1970s period settings
audiences who want witty, propulsive genre filmmaking
fans of mismatched-duo chemistry
Skip if
you want a straightforward detective thriller
you dislike broad physical comedy
you prefer grounded realism over heightened chaos
you are not in the mood for violence mixed with silliness
Overview
The Nice Guys is one of those rare studio comedies that feels both loose and meticulously built. It takes the familiar bones of a hardboiled mystery and keeps finding new ways to twist them, whether through absurd set pieces, sharp dialogue, or the constant friction between its two leads.
Worth noting
What makes it work is the balance: the movie is funny without losing the case, and the case keeps getting stranger without collapsing into nonsense. The 1970s Los Angeles setting adds texture and decay, giving the whole thing a sun-bleached, slightly rotten atmosphere that suits the story perfectly.
Bottom line
It’s also a great example of a film that understands character as comedy. The emotional undercurrent is simple but effective, and the movie never stops moving long enough to overexplain itself. If you like crime films that are smart, messy, and genuinely entertaining, this is an easy pick.
Top Letterboxd reviews
cinéfila... 🕯️ (4.5★) · 18744 likes
me every time ryan gosling made a high-pitched noise: now this is cínëmà
Muriel (5★) · 12487 likes
he was questioning the mermaids
vi (4.5★) · 11581 likes
[high-pitched ryan gosling scream]
SilentDawn (5★) · 8164 likes
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.
Patrick Willems (5★) · 7886 likes
“the porno young lady”
Themes
buddy partnership, neo-noir, private investigator mystery, 1970s Los Angeles, conspiracy, black comedy, parent-child dynamics, corruption and greed
Topics
neo-noir, buddy comedy, crime caper, 1970s, Los Angeles, private detective, black comedy, conspiracy thriller, action-comedy, period piece