Strong characters and hilarious moments make The Nice Guys an essential comedy. Review by Matt Cummings If this summer's playlist going forward seems a bit...lame?...it's because 2016 has the ability to mostly play out that way. One of the exceptions to this march of cinematic malaise is the Shane Black-directed comedy The Nice Guys , perhaps an instant classic in the buddy cop genre, and strong proof that great comedies during this time of the year can also be smart ones. Los Angeles PI's Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) and Holland March (Ryan Gosling) are not exactly the perfect Dynamic Duo for 1977. The bruiser Healy has been sent to beat up March, who is looking for a missing porn star. But as the two 'meet' with Healy getting the better (broken) hand, the two realize that they're being set up by shadowy and powerful forces. It's revealed that a porno may contain important details of collusion between Detroit's auto companies, and so al...