--- title: "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" year: 2005 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/kiss-kiss-bang-bang" fi1m_id: "kiss-kiss-bang-bang" imdb_id: "tt0373469" tmdb_id: 5236 wikidata_id: "Q1423695" fi1m_score: 79 critics_score: 70 critics_reviews: 13 published: "2026-09-15" updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:02.626741+00:00" region: "SG" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) Directed by Shane Black · 1h 43m · Comedy, Crime, Mystery, Thriller ## Identity Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/kiss-kiss-bang-bang - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** kiss-kiss-bang-bang - **IMDb ID:** tt0373469 - **TMDB ID:** 5236 - **Wikidata ID:** Q1423695 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373469/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/5236, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1423695 **Fi1m score: 79** · Critics 70 from 13 reviews *In a sentence:* The investigation can wait while Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer finish their argument > Shane Black’s crime comedy is worth the trouble of its tangled mystery for Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer’s sparring. The cleverness occasionally gets tiresome, but the company seldom does. ## Synopsis Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.) narrates a crime story, interrupting its progress to comment on how it is being told. His exchanges with private investigator Gay Perry (Val Kilmer) run alongside a mystery involving Harmony Faith Lane (Michelle Monaghan). The three negotiate a plot that combines detective fiction with buddy comedy, while the narration draws attention to the conventions governing both. The investigation shares space with disagreements and verbal sparring, and violence interrupts the talk. Shane Black writes and directs, with Corbin Bernsen appearing as Harlan Dexter and Larry Miller as Dabney Shaw. ## Review *Kiss Kiss Bang Bang* is a funny, unruly crime comedy whose chief pleasure is listening to people make one another’s lives difficult. Writer-director Shane Black wants to tell a detective story while letting the characters point out how such stories work, sometimes before we have had a chance to notice. That can be an exhausting way to spend an evening, and the film occasionally delays its own progress to demonstrate its cleverness. Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer make the arrangement worth it. Downey’s Harry Lockhart is good company because Downey allows him to sound fallible, even when the writing is straining to be quick. The self-conscious narration gives Harry plenty of opportunities to interfere with the telling, and Black gets useful comedy from his inability to leave it alone. There is warmth in Downey’s performance, enough to keep the interruptions from feeling like a lecture on how clever detective films can be. He remains likeable through stretches when the interruptions themselves have stopped being useful. Kilmer, as private investigator Gay Perry, supplies the impatience that this arrangement needs. His exchanges with Downey have the ease of people who can annoy each other without preparation, and he delivers the insults without labouring over their ingenuity. We laughed at Perry’s exasperation with Harry; Kilmer makes the simple business of having to hear him out feel like an unreasonable demand. Michelle Monaghan’s Harmony Faith Lane holds her own in their company, bringing enough warmth to prevent the three-way conversation becoming merely a competition for the next joke. Michael Barrett’s cinematography helps make the verbal sparring readable: we can watch the irritation as well as hear it. Aaron Osborne’s production design supplies the detective-film surroundings Black needs for the jokes to work, without competing with the actors. We recognise the kind of crime story we are watching even when its narrator struggles to get on with telling it. That familiarity gives Black some freedom to interrupt without having to start again from nothing. Editor Jim Page has the awkward job of keeping a mystery moving while the narration keeps interrupting it. The comic exchanges hold together, but the accumulation of plot business is harder to follow, and pace cannot always compensate for muddle. John Ottman’s score helps keep a crime-film mood beneath the talk, giving the jokes something serious to interrupt. Even with that support, the investigation sometimes slips from our attention while we wait for the next exchange. Black’s weakness is his reluctance to let a clever remark pass without another close behind it. The film can seem anxious that an ordinary piece of storytelling might be mistaken for a lapse, and the mystery is already complicated enough without that extra fuss. There is less of noir’s dread here than the genre play initially promises, though Black is plainly more interested in the people arguing their way through it. The affection in the performances keeps the insults from becoming unpleasant to sit through. At 103 minutes, the film does not ask for limitless patience, although a cleaner mystery would have made those minutes easier. The cast reward the attention, particularly when Black allows an exchange to run without adding another comment on the storytelling. We recommend it for the conversation, with a warning that the detective work requires more goodwill. Choose it with someone who enjoys an argument about who had the better line. *Fi1m score 79, published 15 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics respond warmly to Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, with praise concentrated on Shane Black’s sharp dialogue and the comic partnership of Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer. Their banter and contrasting performances make the tangled noir plotting enjoyable for many reviewers, while Kilmer’s dry delivery draws particular notice. The film’s self-aware narration and play with detective-story conventions are widely treated as sources of fun, though the performances attract more consistent approval than the storytelling. The spread is fairly wide, and the main dividing line is how much cleverness the reviews will tolerate. Even several admirers find the plot convoluted or incoherent, and some want more emotional depth beneath the jokes. The Los Angeles Times finds the relentless patter and self-reference exhausting. The New York Times is more dismissive still, seeing little purpose beneath the surface ingenuity, despite acknowledging the cast’s inspired comic exchanges. ## Straight answers **Is Kiss Kiss Bang Bang worth watching?** *Kiss Kiss Bang Bang* is worth watching for the sparring between Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer, and we scored it 79. Shane Black's mystery is tangled and his narration keeps interrupting to point out how clever it is, which grows tiresome. Choose it for the conversation rather than the detective work, ideally with someone who enjoys an argument. **How long is Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and what is it rated?** *Kiss Kiss Bang Bang* runs 1h 43m. It is a comedy and crime film. **Where can I watch Kiss Kiss Bang Bang in Singapore?** *Kiss Kiss Bang Bang* is not on any streaming or rental service in Singapore at the moment. It is available in 34 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily. **How violent or frightening is Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and is it suitable for children?** *Kiss Kiss Bang Bang* carries a UK 15 certificate, and it is not a film for children. The violence arrives in bursts between long stretches of insulting talk, and the dialogue is adult in tone throughout. It is a comedy first and a crime story second, so older teenagers who can take a 15 should find it more funny than frightening. **How does Kiss Kiss Bang Bang compare to The Long Goodbye?** *Kiss Kiss Bang Bang* is the noisier and funnier of the two, while [*The Long Goodbye*](https://film.one/film/the-long-goodbye) is the sadder and more graceful. Both follow a rumpled detective through a mystery that is harder to follow than it needs to be. Shane Black keeps interrupting to comment on the genre; Robert Altman lets Elliott Gould's Marlowe drift through it, and his film has the quieter feeling. **Is Kiss Kiss Bang Bang based on a true story or a book?** *Kiss Kiss Bang Bang* is based on a novel by Brett Halliday, not on a true story. How closely Shane Black follows the book we cannot say, since the film spends much of its time commenting on detective-story conventions rather than serving any one plot. Knowing the novel is not necessary to enjoy Downey and Kilmer arguing their way through it. **What should I watch after Kiss Kiss Bang Bang?** After *Kiss Kiss Bang Bang*, try [*The Long Goodbye*](https://film.one/film/the-long-goodbye) (1973, Fi1m 86): A rumpled detective drifts through a mystery that keeps changing the terms. Then [*The Lady Vanishes*](https://film.one/film/the-lady-vanishes) (1938, Fi1m 88): Verbal sparring and suspicion share a train, with considerably better manners; and [*Memories of Murder*](https://film.one/film/memories-of-murder) (2003, Fi1m 91): Botched police work turns far darker here, but the uneasy laughter carries across. ### Reviews we read (18) - **Screen Daily** (85/100, inferred): The review praises it as a hugely entertaining mix of film noir, comic buddy movie and metacinematic romp, a triumph of savvy tone and ironic attitude that works best in comic mode, singling out Kilmer's fine comic turn. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/kiss-kiss-bang-bang/4023111.article) - **Radio Times** (4/5): It calls the film a hilarious game of nudge-nudge wink-wink with compelling performances from Downey Jr and Kilmer's battery of one-liners, describing it as a quirky noir that packs more heat than the average action thriller. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-wfyj18/kiss-kiss-bang-bang/) - **The AV Club**, Keith Phipps (80/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an audacious directorial debut from Shane Black that mixes meta genre play with strong characters and dialogue. It succeeds through its cast, especially Downey Jr. and Kilmer, despite occasional dips into plot mechanics. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/kiss-kiss-bang-bang-1798201133) - **Time Out** (80/100, inferred): The review describes Black's directorial debut as an ultra-knowing contemporary take on the gumshoe procedural, highlighting Downey's rumpled performance and the enjoyable self-aware narration and formal trickery. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/kiss-kiss-bang-bang-1) - **Slant Magazine** (75/100, inferred): The critic calls it a silly, self-reflexive lark with spitfire sarcasm that showcases Black's return as director. It excels in Downey Jr.'s performance and playful noir tropes but lacks deeper engagement with the genre's fatalism. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/kiss-kiss-bang-bang/) - **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane (75/100, inferred): The film is not a bust and comes out smiling thanks to the yakking performances of Kilmer, Monaghan, and Downey Jr., even if it sometimes feels like the Annual General Meeting of Hollywood Smart-asses Incorporated. It remains a slithery treat despite being smug. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2005/10/31/troublemakers) - **Evening Standard**, Derek Malcolm (70/100, inferred): Shane Black's witty, audacious directorial debut is an innovative buddy movie indebted to Tarantino and Wilder, with strong central performances from Downey Jr. and Kilmer. It is uneven and a bit too clever for its own good, though it delivers laughs a minute. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/gay-gumshoe-with-no-camp-7386140.html) - **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (55/100, inferred): The film contains comedy and invention but is slowed by its overly clever, self-referential style that often feels like it is spinning its wheels. Performances by Downey Jr. and Kilmer stand out amid the banter and genre nods. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/kiss-kiss-bang-bang-2005) - **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (45/100, inferred): The exuberant directorial debut is too ostentatiously pleased with itself and in love with its own cleverness, wearing the audience out with nonstop glossy patter and a hyper-complex, self-referential plot. It is entertaining for a while but ultimately exhausting. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-oct-21-et-kisskiss21-story.html) - **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (40/100, inferred): The movie is a flashy, trifling throwaway whose surface cleverness masks self-infatuated credulity, though it offers the cast a chance for inspired riffing. It evokes noir conventions in a post-Pulp Fiction way without much reason for existing. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/21/movies/los-angeles-detective-and-new-york-thief-channel-pulp-fiction.html) - **Empire**, William Thomas: Black's directorial debut is a bold, breathless, meta-lunatic comedy-thriller that deconstructs pulp noir and action formulas with satirical cunning and barbed writing. It succeeds thanks to terrific lead performances despite an incomprehensible plot and chaotic posturing. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/kiss-kiss-bang-bang-review/) - **Sight and Sound**, John Wrathall: The critic views it as a compendium of Black's familiar stylistic tics and witty repartee that drives the film more than its convoluted plot, praising the relaxed interplay among Downey, Kilmer and Monaghan but finding it lacking in personal depth or coherence. [Read](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/2629) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw: The critic finds the film a smart, writerly neo-noir thriller packed with hellzapoppin’ comedy and self-aware storytelling that playfully exposes movie tropes. Val Kilmer’s hilarious turn as the gay PI Gay Perry stands out as the performance singled out for particular praise. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2005/nov/11/2) - **The Times**, Wendy Ide: The review calls the film a sarky, sniping film noir homage that assassinates LA archetypes with savage dialogue delivered by Downey Jr and Kilmer. The odd-couple chemistry is highlighted as a strength, though the dense and incoherent plot is noted as a drawback. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/north-america-travel/us-travel/california/kiss-kiss-bang-bang-0tf6g7vx77r) - **Total Film**: The film is one of the year's best: a smart, metafictional noir blending brutal violence, caustic humor, and self-referential wit with soulful performances. Downey Jr., Kilmer, and Monaghan anchor the chaos, turning genre conventions into something fresh and fun. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/kiss-kiss-bang-bang-review/) - **Eye for Film**, Steve Harwood (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a fresh, quick-witted black comedy with razor-sharp dialogue and plenty of laughs that is highly enjoyable. They single out the charismatic performances of Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer for particular praise. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/kiss-kiss-bang-bang-film-review-by-steve-harwood) - **Digital Spy**, Emma Dibdin (80/100, inferred): The critic praises Shane Black's directorial debut as a razor-sharp comedy noir that cleverly comments on its own genre and script while delivering flat-out fun and efficient storytelling. It singles out the strong performances, especially the tetchy banter between Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer, along with the film's unexpectedly sweet morality and heartfelt moments. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/re-viewed/a476708/re-viewed-shane-blacks-razor-sharp-comedy-noir-kiss-kiss-bang-bang/) - **The Skinny**, Megan Garriock (70/100, inferred): The review describes the film as an entertaining noir-black-comedy-thriller with strong buddy banter and situational comedy, crediting Shane Black's direction and the chemistry between Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer. It singles out the witty dialogue, including memorable lines like 'the dog ate my fingerprints,' and recommends it highly for its fun and success. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/opinion/kiss-kiss-bang-bang) ## Details - **Director:** Shane Black - **Director:** Shane Black - **Screenplay:** Shane Black - **Novel:** Brett Halliday - **Cinematography:** Michael Barrett - **Editor:** Jim Page - **Music:** John Ottman - **Production design:** Aaron Osborne - **Costume design:** Christopher J. Kristoff - **Producer:** Joel Silver - **Cast:** Robert Downey Jr. as Harry Lockhart; Val Kilmer as Gay Perry; Michelle Monaghan as Harmony Faith Lane; Corbin Bernsen as Harlan Dexter; Dash Mihok as Mr. Frying Pan; Larry Miller as Dabney Shaw; Rockmond Dunbar as Mr. Fire; Shannyn Sossamon as Pink Hair Girl - **Runtime:** 1h 43m - **Release (Singapore):** 13 March 2006 - **Genres:** Comedy, Crime, Mystery, Thriller - **Budget:** $15 million - **Box office:** $16 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7L-kF5Im1Y ## Where to watch in Singapore Not streaming, renting or buying in Singapore at the last check. Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, ES, FI, FR, GB, IE, IN, IT, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *The Long Goodbye* (1973), Fi1m 86: A rumpled detective drifts through a mystery that keeps changing the terms. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-long-goodbye.md) - *The Nice Guys* (2016): More bickering investigators, with enough bruised affection to make the jokes matter. - *The Lady Vanishes* (1938), Fi1m 88: Verbal sparring and suspicion share a train, with considerably better manners. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-lady-vanishes.md) - *Memories of Murder* (2003), Fi1m 91: Botched police work turns far darker here, but the uneasy laughter carries across. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/memories-of-murder.md) - *The Guard* (2011), Fi1m 78: Another abrasive partnership where the insults conceal a growing measure of respect. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-guard.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/kiss-kiss-bang-bang