Quartile rating: 8/10 · 4 ratings
A private eye investigates the apparent suicide of a fading porn star in 1970s Los Angeles and uncovers a conspiracy.
The Nice Guys is elevated primarily by the electric chemistry and comedic timing between Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling, whose performances are genuinely exceptional and carry much of the film's appeal. The plot is a serviceable neo-noir conspiracy romp set in 1970s LA — clever and witty but not especially intricate or surprising. Cinematography captures the period aesthetic competently without being visually distinctive. Novelty is solid but not remarkable; it works within well-trodden buddy-comedy and neo-noir territory, doing it very well rather than reinventing it. The ending wraps things up satisfactorily without being particularly memorable or daring.