Wick's Review

Summary - OK 2.5

Occasionally LOL, though generally too clever for its own good, this tongue-in-cheek LA murder mystery is more head-scratcher than belly-laugher. That said, those in the know about the movie industry will certainly enjoy the self-referential humor.

Acting - Very Good 3.5

The three leads – Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer and Michelle Monaghan – have good chemistry but never seem to sparkle together, as must happen for a witty ensemble like this to catch fire.

Corbin Bernsen, still Mr. LA from his days on LA Law, perfectly plays a rich LA scumbag, while Larry Miller delivers his patented unctuousness in a well staged small dose.

Film - OK 2.5

Shane Black – wildly successful for scripting the Lethal Weapon series – injects his sensibilities through and through KKBB. Wry humor, lots of gunplay, mismatched buddies, pop allusions, and glamorous settings abound. Too bad Black – here both writer and rookie director – can’t make his lethal concoction consistently rise to the occasion.

Edge - Risqué 2.0

Reality - Glib 1.3

Lose a finger in a slammed door, yet function like it’s just a boo-boo. I don’t think so. Even in LA, severing a digit causes significant trauma.

1 Comment

• Wick May 14, 2009 11:50PM

  Yeah, I think I’m an outlier in that it didn’t work for me. You should review it to counteract my score.

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