Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2001) User Reviews

Weird Dramatic Black Comedy

[claudio_carvalho · 5/10 · 12 December 2004]

In England, Felix (Stellan Skarsgard) is a hit-man who wants to retire after collecting the last words of his victims along many years of "hard work". He has just finished the training of Jimmy (Paul Bettany), but the weird leader of his crime organization does not want Felix to leave the "club" and orders the other killers to eliminate him. Meanwhile, Felix needs some cash and accepts a job of "babysitter" of Bubba (Chris Penn), a grown-up man raised like a child, who lives locked in a room, protected from the outside world by his father. Bubba moves to Felix's place and meets Sherry (Jacqueline Mckenzie), the girlfriend of Felix, and then he is introduced to the real world, drinking straight whiskey, meeting women and going to night-clubs. Meanwhile, the gang of assassins is trying to kill Felix. "Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang)" is a weird dramatic black comedy, using elements the "Rain Man" and some Quentin Tarantino movies, with bizarre characters. The whole cast has a great performance, I like black humor, but I did not like this story. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Um Beijo... Um Tiro." ("A Kiss... A Shot.")

not your average hit-man

[nobbytatoes · 6/10 · 20 October 2005]

Felix is a hit-man who wants out of the business. He takes up a job to look after an reclusive man; he been in a room for 33 years. Bubba is like a giant kid, he doesn't understand people and doesn't know much, never seeing the outside world before. But Felix has bigger problems. He wants to patch up his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, and he's being targeted by his old colleagues; their not letting him get away so easily.

Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang) is a good little dramatic comedy. The friendship between Felix and Bubba is very amusing and heart felt. What would have made this better if it had the hard hitting edge and malice dialog of great movies Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Sexy Beast. Instead of standing by itself, it takes it points from them and doesn't really crack any new ground. Though this does have some great laughs to bring; it shows the best way to sure smoking that is just hysterical. The acting was solid enough to keep you interested; it was interesting seeing Chris Penn play a different character than playing a 'tough guy' like he usually plays.

This isn't anything new, but its still good entertainment.

Lock Stock meets Kindergarten Cop

[charlibabes · 7/10 · 30 July 2001]

By turns funny, poignant, violent and energetic, this film has many faces. In the same vein as Lock Stock, but not your usual London underworld flick the film includes gritty reality and, bordering on far fetched, sentimentality. Could become a cult classic.

I loved this movie! Good for laughter...and a few tears.

[swedensm · 17 August 2003]

Stellan Skarsgård plays Felix, a hitman who wants to retire, but the organization for which he works wants him to undergo a different kind of retirement. One day he walks away and being strapped for cash, he has to take a job "babysitting" a grown man who has been sheltered from the world.

Chris Penn shows his talent for comedy (again) by playing Bubba, a childlike fellow who becomes attached to Felix because Felix "tells him things" and takes him out for a view of the "real world." Penn makes the character likeable...no small task because Bubba could have easily become an annoying cartoon.

Lots of hilarious stuff, like the scene where Bubba gets ahold of the francs given to Skarsgard by his father and does something very unexpected. I laughed out loud a lot, said "awwwww" a lot and enjoyed myself thoroughly.

Great flick.

Actionmovie that turns too childish

[Enchorde · 3/10 · 4 September 2009]

Recap: Felix is an old hand at the assassination game. But now he has lost the taste for it and wants out before he ends up dead. He has trained Jimmy, who he regards as his replacement, and declares his intentions. But he is in short supply of cash and needs a job. An art and antiquities dealer offers him a lot of it if he looks after his son. But the son turns out to be an extremely over protected 33 year old man who never has left the house. Felix can't stand it and takes him home where he gets a crash course in real life. For at the same time Felix's old agent is out to kill him as he can't accept Felix's decision to leave.

Comments: A movie with friends Stellan Skarsgård and Paul Bettany naturally comes with high expectations, as both are skilled actors. However, it fail to meet those expectations on almost every point. Bettany soon gets sidetracked to a small side plot and the main story between Felix and the old boy Bubba, played by Chris Penn, quickly turn ridiculous. And not funny ridiculous but predictable and cliché filled uninteresting ridiculous. Naturally Felix seem not to be able to stand Bubba's naive and childish ways but of course they soon form a bond that will teach them both a lesson about life and mature. This is evident from the moment they meet and from that point the movie became dull and uninteresting. I've seen it before and it wasn't any better then either.

It does end a little peculiar though. I'm not sure I like it or not, but it sure is different compared to the rest of the movie. Because suddenly it turns back to the assassin action movie that it briefly started out as, before it changed to a drama. What it did was to leave me with a different taste and some different thoughts about it. And if it is the last impressions that last it possibly can redeem a little of the movie. Unfortunately it is far too little far too late.

3/10

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

[pokechief · 9/10 · 26 May 2009]

Good movie for those who understands it, worse for those who doesn't. The storyline is heavy with a lot between the lines. The movie isn't really that long, but the action scenes are really good and realistic. There's also some amazing contrasts in this movie! A totally serious ex-hit-man baby sitting a 30 year old man. The scenery between grey and cold big town streets to happy and colorful outskirts. The humour in this movie is great too. The man the ex-hit-man is baby sitting has some very good comments and acts. The cast they choose for this movie is kinda strange too. The main character is played by a swede, same with one of the other character. The "baby" is played by the American actor Chris Penn. There's also an Australian actor among the main cast. To me this is the most original, hell, maybe even the best, British movie I've ever seen. And the type of concept it is built on is very rare and funny!

not worth a rental

[romiaat · 5/10 · 4 February 2013]

For me the movie wasn't funny,I got bored half way through,the acting was average some bits were just strange,the only entertaining bit was the man that behaved like a child,he was convincing enough.Most of it was rather sad & the ending not realistic & believable,I was quite disappointed I was told this movie was good,maybe I rented the wrong one & should have got the 2005 version.I didn't quite understand the whole club thing it was rather strange,it also seems unlikely that the overgrown kid would manage to get a girl friend and know how to defend himself when he has been isolated from the outside world all of his life,also the main character who was followed by about 10 people would have gotten shot much earlier,1 person alone cannot keep track of 9 others when they all have guns,yeah so if you want to watch it don't have any high expectations...the storyline is odd & only 1 character is interesting.

Came to me as a positive surprise

[joona-jaatinen · 10/10 · 2 March 2006]

I was supposed to see Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) but instead I saw this one - and I don't feel disappointed at all. I'm surprised and delighted.

I really liked this movie, because it made me feel not only joy but pity and sympathy as well. It never was clear what would happen next though everything that happened then was somehow self-evident afterwards.

The main actor Stellan Skarsgård deserves extra mention. He was very credible in his role and his minimalistic expressions created the basis of this hilarious comedy.

I have to give 10 out of 10 because this one needs more recognition than it gets. Don't get me wrong, it's close to what I would have given anyways.

Worst film I've seen since Haunted Honeymoon (1986)

[apneaevent · 1/10 · 22 April 2006]

...and I've watched some tripe. What on earth was this film trying to communicate? Who on earth was it aimed at? Worse casting and a more schizophrenic and moronic concept you would struggle to find. A sorry entry in (the late) Chris Penn's otherwise generally reasonable filmography. His performance was terrible but did not stand out as markedly different from anyone else's! This partly due to the characters being poorly defined or very poorly clichéd (that is to say clichéd poorly). There aren't many films I would like to be able to charge the studio for wasting the time I spent watching them...this sadly is one!

It's just awful! This film is so hazardous, that if you get any in your eyes you should rinse them immediately with cold water and consult you physician.

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