Clever, sharp witted and fast paced, "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" is based (in part) on a Brett Halliday novel titled "Bodies Are Where You Find Them." And there are plenty of bodies to be found in this wickedly funny film. Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr. of "Gothika") appears to live life on the Hollywood party circuit; surrounded by beautiful women, free flowing booze and lots of idle chatter. He’s got an agent and a killer publicist, Perry Van Shrike¾ AKA Gay Perry (deliciously played by Val Kilmer of "Alexander"). "But I’m getting ahead of the story," Harry explains, as the film on-screen seems to sputter and roll…backwards. Harry takes us back to where this all began.

Back to the party. Harry’s interested in a long legged lovely named Harmony (Michelle Monaghan of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith"). He is anxious to hook up with her because it would give him confidence and make him feel like he fits into the movie star scene. What he doesn’t realize, until later, is that she’s his long lost love from early childhood.

Women keep turning up dead around Harry. Their bodies also seem to disappear mysteriously. Gay Perry is a gun-toting sleuth, who can handle himself in tight situations, as well as a publicist, and he agrees to help Harry track down the bodies and the killers. The romantic scenes are hilarious and the action over the top, much like "Transporter 2."

Shane Black is the writer/director of this film who also created the Mel Gibson "Lethal Weapon" character. He wrote all four "Lethal Weapon" movies. This is Black’s directorial debut and Robert Downey delivers his usual quirky performance, which, or course, is anything but usual. But the characters share the same sort of good-natured goofiness and banter as "Lethal Weapon." The complex story, which suspends logic at the door, leaves you with more of a feeling rather than a plot. The film will likely appeal more to the art house crowd than the masses that enjoyed "Lethal Weapon" and "Wedding Crashers." For example, near the end of the movie, when you are beginning to wonder how it will all end, Harry tells us that we need not worry, "I saw ‘Lord of the Rings’ and I’m not going to end this 17 times."