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The Nice Guys Blu-ray Review

By Rachel Cericola

The Film

The last time we saw Shane Black serve behind the scenes of a film, it was as the writer/director for 2013's Iron Man 3. It was also a serious departure from the what the guy does best. He's a master at on-screen match-ups. He did it with 1987's Lethal Weapon (and the 1989 sequel), 1991's The Last Boy Scout, and 2005's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Now he's back to doing it with 2016's The Nice Guys.

Of course, it's hard to imagine that Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling wouldn't be a fun on-screen pair. Critics agreed, but audiences didn't seem to care. According to Wikipedia, the two weren't enough of a winning combination to get people to actually watch the film. Now it's time to right that wrong with the Blu-ray release, because these two really tackle the buddy action-comedy genre quite well.

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Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling aren't really nice guys in "The Nice Guys." Photo: Daniel McFadden/Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

The Nice Guys starts off with a scene that's very reminiscent of the incident that brought together Riggs and Murtaugh. It's 1977 and we see fading porn star Misty Mountains run her car through a window (completely naked, of course). It's a suicide -- or is it? Misty's aunt doesn't seem to think so, and hires P.I. Holland March (Ryan Gosling) to investigate. This leads him to Amelia Kutner (Margaret Qualley), who is being protected by tough guy Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe). Amelia soon disappears and the two try to track her, which isn't easy, since she's being targeted by a crazed assassin (Matt Bomer) that may or may not have something to do with Richard Thomas' most famous role. Why do they want her? It's kind of complicated, but has to do with porn, protests, and the catalytic converter.

The plot sounds a little farfetched because it is. That's part of what makes The Nice Guys fun, but it isn't all a hilarious, action-packed ride. In fact, the film moves very slow in some spots. That said, the casting keeps the whole thing engaging. It's hard to look away from Crowe and Gosling, but Angourie Rice as March's daughter is definitely a standout whenever she's on-screen as well.

Want to see what else is nice about this movie? Check out Jim Dooley's theatrical review of The Nice Guys.

The Picture

It's not exactly demo material, but this 2.40:1 image delivers a vintage vibe that adds to the overall viewing experience. That feeling is enhanced by a bit of softness, but it's nothing major. The color palette is filled with maroons and other muted colors to reflect the time period, but there are great black levels and a nice contrast throughout. The image also has a lot of sharp detail, especially when it comes to clothing, decor, background scenery, and the various faces in the movie. More specifically, Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe have a lot of lines, pours, and facial hair to ogle here.

The Sound

The highlight of this DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is definitely the very 70s-esque soundtrack. It's got Bee Gees, KISS, Kool and the Gang, America, A Taste of Honey, and much more. Of course, it also has John Ottman and David Buckley's score, which helps to set the tone when the music and/or action aren't filling the soundfield. That happens a lot, though. There are lots of gunshots, car chases, and plenty of shattering glass to keep the surrounds pretty busy. It's not nonstop, but enough and never drowns out the dialogue, which is sharp and clear throughout.

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The Extras

With all of the talent associated with this film, it's strange that it would have such a slim special features section. There's no commentary track and no featurettes dedicated to the buddy cop genre or even the buddy cops featured in this film. Instead, there are just a pair of shorts about the production, which clock in under 12 minutes' total.

Final Thoughts

The Nice Guys is a nice little throwback to buddy/action comedies. That action is a bit slow in a few spots, but Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling keep things interesting. The audio and video are just as impressive, too. Really, the only thing to gripe about here is the slim collection of extras, but this Blu-ray is still worth picking up.

Product Details

  • Actors: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer, Margaret Qualley, Keith David, Kim Basinger
  • Director: Shane Black
  • Audio/Languages: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (English), Dolby Digital 5.1 (French, Spanish), DVS 5.1 (English)
  • Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
  • Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
  • Number of Discs: 2
  • Rating: R
  • Studio: Warner Bros.
  • Blu-ray Disc Release Date: August 23, 2016
  • Run Time: 116 minutes
  • List Price: $24.95
  • Extras:
    • Always Bet on Black
    • Worst. Detectives. Ever. Making The Nice Guys
    • Standard-Def DVD
    • UltraViolet Digital Copy

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