10 Years Later, The Most Sneakily Influential Cult Classic Of The Century Can't Be Topped

A cult classic is media with a passionate fanbase despite limited mainstream success. Cult films can range from transgressive or gory genres to major-studio financial flops. What connects them is niche resonance that drives loyal advocates to champion the work until later acclaim. The Nice Guys failed commercially in 2016, earning about $62 million on a $50 million budget, with the weekend release of Angry Birds cited as a major factor. Critics and fans later lamented lost sequel potential, and cast and crew continue to be asked about it. The film stars Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling as hitman Jackson Healy and private eye Holland March, who investigate an adult film actress’s death alongside the disappearance of a teenage girl, leading to a deeper conspiracy.

"The cult classic: a term used to describe a piece of media with a passionate fanbase despite its lack of mainstream success. Cult films, depending on who you ask, can include anything from a transgressive or gory genre movie, to a financial flop from a major studio. What unites these projects, no matter their style or story, is that they resonate with a particular niche, leading their loyal disciples to advocate for their brilliance until they receive rightful acclaim years later."

"The Nice Guys bombed at the box office in 2016, grossing an estimated $62 million at the end of its theatrical run with a $50 million budget. This commercial turnout is largely credited to releasing the same weekend as the Angry Birds movie, and in the 10 years since critics and fans alike have bemoaned the loss of potential sequels this action-comedy could have spawned had it received more spotlight. To this day, cast and crew still get asked about the possibility of it in interviews."

"Those titular nice guys are the stars Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling as hitman Jackson Healy and private eye Holland March, respectively. In 1977 Los Angeles, this buddy-not-quite-cop duo team up when the investigation into the demise of an adult film actress coincides with the disappearance of a teenage girl named Amelia (Margaret Qualley). As the two attempt to find Amelia, cartoonish hijinks ensue and a deeper conspiracy reveals itself."

"It's easy to see why this film's acolytes have such a huge chip on their shoulder. Its parodic pairing of the noir genre with slapstick comedy is one of writer-director Shane Black's signatures. Previous films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang had proven him to be an adept craftsman of sleazy mysteries with jesting dialogue, and Crowe and Gosling fully execute his vision here through their riveting performances. Healy is the experienced but jaded veteran to March's spry but clumsy deadbeat."

Read at Inverse