They’re reteaming for Iron Man 3, but Robert Downey Jr. and director Shane Black first collaborated on the 2005 film Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Suffice it to say—they have some chemistry. This film marked one of Downey’s first great roles following his highly publicized off-screen legal and drug-related issues, and it reintroduced audiences (though not many; it was a pretty small film with a limited release) to what he could do as an actor.
His best work may come early on in the film, when his character, on the run from police, stumbles into an audition room. Not wanting to be exposed to the authorities, he plays the part in front of him, and finds it coincidentally relevant and cathartic for precisely what’s happening in his life, and thus of course, nails the audition and impresses the producers for being so “method.” There are some really interesting layers in this scene that Downey brings out beautifully. And the rest of the film is a showcase of both his charisma and utter relatability when his criminal behavior gets him in over his head. Just watching him mess around with Val Kilmer is a delight, but the clever and self-referential dialogue helps too.
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