The Nice Guys

Release date: May 20 On paper, Inherent Vice — Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2014 film about a pot-smoking private investigator, played by Joaquin Phoenix, cracking a mysterious missing persons case in 1970s Los Angeles — had all the makings of an amazing crime comedy. In reality, it was a mess, and writer/director Shane Black (Iron Man 3, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang) noticed. Similar in style, buddy comedy The Nice Guys teams up local tough guy Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) with disgraced private eye Holland March (Ryan Gosling) to solve the mystery of a missing porn star (Margaret Qualley), but they uncover a far deeper conspiracy. Sure, L.A. Confidential fans will squee about Crowe’s onscreen reunion with Kim Basinger, but we’re more about watching the tough Aussie and pretty Canuck duke it out in polyester suits. (Warner)