Wonkette Movie Night: Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang

'Go. Sleep badly. Any questions, hesitate to call.'

Harry Lockhart always seems to find himself in trouble but somehow is also lucky enough to find ways out of it. Harry wanted to find a Christmas gift for his niece, so as a petty thief, that meant robbing a toy store. After tripping the alarm, during the escape, Harry crashes an acting audition. Where his luck gets him an acting contract.

Then off to L.A. and a Hollywood party, where his attempt to help a woman gets his ass kicked and the woman leaving him behind. But then that good fortune of his helps him find her: Harmony, a long lost sweetheart from his youth. In the middle of that he find himself mixed up in a murder while getting acting lessons from a private eye, Gay Perry.

As Harry gets himself more entangled in a web of murder, kidnaping, shoot ‘em ups and car crashes, losing a finger and getting his testicles zapped might be the least of his problems. Can Harry, Perry, and Harmony solve the mystery before Harry’s luck truly runs out?

Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang was partly inspired by Brett Halliday’s novel Bodies Are Where You Find Them. A modern twist on the detective stories found in paperbacks in the ‘50s and ‘60s, it put a gay male character into the role of the tough, hardboiled private dick. Even though it had a woman in need of help, it was mostly Harry being rescued by Perry.

The movie is also a jumping off point for the resurrection of Robert Downey Jr.’s acting career after gaining sobriety from drug addiction. Although he was disappointed that Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang did not do well at the box office it did get director Jon Favreau’s attention; Downey Jr. has said that the movie “ended up being my calling card to Iron Man.”

Val Kilmer, the film’s other star, starred as Jim Morrison in The Doors and as Batman in Batman Forever. By the time he appeared in Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang, his reputation of being difficult to work with had dimmed his star a bit. In 2015 he was diagnosed with throat cancer; although he was a Christian Scientist, he underwent treatment at the request of his children. Val Kilmer died April 1, 2025, at the age of 65.

This film is the first of two Shane Black films chosen for our December slate of movies, the second being The Long Kiss Goodnight at the end of the month. It reignites that burning question, what makes a movie a Christmas movie? Does it need to specifically be about the holiday or can it just happen during the holiday season to be included?

Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang is available for free with ads on OK.RU, $3.99 in the usual places.

Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang stars Robert Downey, Jr., Val Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan, Corbin Bernsen, Angela Lindvall, Larry Miller, Shannyn Sossamon, Dash Mihok, and Ariel Winter. Directed by Renny Harlin.

To make requests and see the movie lists and schedules go to WonkMovie.

The animated short is Snow Bear from Aaron Blaise, with support from Polar Bears International and National Parks Conservation Association.

Next week’s Movie Night selection is Krampus and it is available for free with ads on Dailymotion. Free with subscription on Peacock and AMC+. $3.99 in the usual places.