Kiss Kiss Bang Bang 2005

As the lights dimmed at an upscale Los Angeles soiree, Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.) seized the opportunity to recount his recent escapades. Having fled a botched burglary with his friend, Harry found himself on the run from the law and forced to seek refuge in an acting audition. But instead of landing in trouble, he inadvertently stole the spotlight with an impassioned outburst that impressed the producers, who mistook it for method acting. This unexpected turn of events set him up for a night of revelry at a Hollywood party prior to his screen test. It was here that Harry crossed paths with private investigator Perry van Shrike (Val Kilmer), hired to guide him through an on-the-job experience in preparation for his role, as well as Harlan Dexter, a retired actor who had just resolved a decade-long feud over his wife’s inheritance with his daughter, Veronica.

As the night wore on, Harry also found himself reacquainted with Harmony Lane (Michelle Monaghan), his childhood crush. However, their romantic reunion was short-lived, as he awoke the next morning in bed with her hostile friend. In an effort to apologize and clear up any misunderstandings, Harry paid a visit to Harmony’s residence at 6:00 AM.

Meanwhile, Perry and Harry stumbled upon a gruesome discovery – a vehicle being dumped into a lake, which they witnessed just as the apparent killers were leaving the scene. As they attempted to rescue the occupants, Perry inadvertently shot the trunk lock, only to realize that he had also hit the female corpse inside. Faced with the daunting task of reporting this incident without incriminating themselves, Harry and Perry were left scrambling for a solution.

The plot thickened when Harmony reached out to Harry, revealing that her sister Jenna had recently arrived in Los Angeles, stolen her credit cards, and ultimately taken her own life. Believing Harry was a detective, Harmony asked him to investigate the circumstances surrounding Jenna’s death as a murder. As she departed, Harry discovered the female corpse from the lake in his bathroom, along with a planted pistol. It became clear that Harmony had hired Perry to come to the lake, using her sister’s stolen credit card. The discovery of Veronica Dexter’s identity, courtesy of the police report, only added fuel to the fire.

As Harry pieced together the tangled web of deceit and betrayal, he found himself at odds with Harmony. In a moment of accidental fury, she slammed the door shut on his finger, severing it from his hand, prompting him to seek medical attention. With her help, Harry navigated the complex world of Los Angeles crime, all while struggling to maintain his grip on reality and unravel the mysteries that surrounded him.

As they attend a gathering, Harry finds himself whisked away from the festivities, brutalized, and threatened to abandon his inquiry by the lake’s nefarious agents. Following this ordeal, Harmony rescues Harry at the hospital, only to notice the culprits converging on Perry’s stakeout. Realizing her friend is walking into a trap, Harmony hastily departs, leaving Harry in her care, and rushes to Perry’s aid, where she saves him from certain doom. One of the assassins meets his demise at the hands of an unlikely hero - a food-cart operator. Meanwhile, a pink-haired accomplice affiliated with the lake’s villains commandeers Harmony’s vehicle, unwittingly transporting an unconscious Harry to her hideout. Unbeknownst to them, another assassin arrives on the scene and takes aim, only for Harry to regain consciousness, claim the fallen killer’s firearm, and dispatch the attacker. However, his predicament worsens as he is forced to preserve his severed finger in ice - a temporary solution that ultimately falls prey to a hungry canine.

Later, Harmony reunites with Harry at his hotel, revealing her earlier confession to Jenna that Harlan Dexter was, in fact, her biological father. The revelation sparks an intense confrontation between the pair, culminating in Harry’s decision to expel Harmony from his room with utmost care, avoiding any accidental harm to her fingers.

As Harmony pursues a lead, Harry and Perry investigate a clandestine healthcare facility owned by Harlan Dexter. Perry uncovers a sinister plot: Veronica Dexter was institutionalized at this very clinic to clear the way for an impostor to assume her identity in court. The duo apprehends a guard, only to inadvertently take his life, and soon finds themselves captured by Dexter himself. He reveals his plans to cremate Veronica’s remains, effectively erasing any remaining evidence of his crimes.

Harry reaches out to Harmony, who had been tracking a lead all along - not actually gone missing, but rather attending to her work obligations. Harmony steals the van containing Veronica’s coffin, allowing Harry and Perry to escape, albeit briefly, as she deliberately crashes the vehicle. During the ensuing shootout, Perry becomes incapacitated, while Harry manages to eliminate Dexter and his accomplices, though he too falls victim to gunfire.

Awakening in a hospital bed, Harry finds that both Perry and Harmony have recovered from their ordeal. Perry reveals a shocking truth: Jenna’s demise was not a murder, but rather a suicide precipitated by her discovery of Harlan Dexter’s incestuous relationships. Jenna had fled an abusive household in Indiana, only to locate Dexter, believing him to be her biological father. Her accidental witnessing of Dexter’s illicit activities with Veronica’s impostor - the pink-haired woman - convinced her that this supposed father was also guilty of abuse. In a desperate bid for escape, Jenna commissioned Perry and ultimately took her own life.

As Perry returns to Harmony’s hometown, he confronts Jenna’s estranged father, now bedridden and helpless. Perry unleashes a barrage of slaps, branding the old man an animal. When the elder responds with a scathing rebuke, Perry offers no further explanation, simply remarking, “Yeah. Big tough guy,” before departing the scene.

As the bitter taste of defeat settles in his stomach, Harry’s professional fortunes take a drastic turn when he finds himself relegated to a mundane desk job at Perry’s establishment, a stark contrast to the glamour and excitement that once seemed within reach with a coveted movie role now firmly in the grasp of Colin Farrell. The crushing reality of his circumstances is palpable as Harry is forced to confront the harsh truth that his creative aspirations have been reduced to a mere afterthought, relegated to the dusty shelves of forgotten dreams. Despite the sense of disillusionment that pervades every waking moment, Harry’s indomitable spirit refuses to be extinguished, and he sets about redefining his purpose in this new, uncharted territory, determined to find meaning in the drudgery and prove that even the most seemingly insignificant existence can hold its own unique brand of significance.