deadly brutal wiscracking genius noir (and how many adjectives SHOULD you pack into a title?)

I must admit i have always had a certain fondness for Robert Downey, Jr. (drug troubles and all--didn't seem to dampen his genius much) ~and for a look at vintage Robert, whose quirkiness brightens up an otherwise dismal pic check out the name escapes me at the moment . So when Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang showed up on cable last night i ended up staying up most of the night watching it and, wickedly black comedy that it was, i absolutely loved it.

Downey plays a part-time crook flown to Hollywood for a screen-test, taking "detective" lessons with "Gay Perry" (a fabulously funny Val Kilmer playing against type). Downey does Much more than wink at the camera as he narrates his way through the action, backtracking (rewinding) or fast-forwarding as necessary, bumbling his way through. I found Shane Black's writing to be brilliant--absolute perfection (much superior to his Lethal Weapon) and this seems to be the perfect vehicle for his directorial debut (at least in my considered opinion--now that seems an entirely unnecessary statement in My Personal Blog does it Not?).

While i did think Michelle Monaghan's performance was spot on (and i did love her friend Flicka) i'm not sure i bought her as Robert Downey's high school dream girl--they don't look quite the same age do they?

Anyway, see Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, let the blood and laughs flow, give me your opinion (i'm asking for it:).