Welcome back to The Nice Guys! Loving this movie so far, looking forward to continuing it. And as usual, SPOILERS AHEAD!
As the second hour begins, we get a glimpse into Holland’s past, learning that he took out a shooter in a diner a year prior, which most likely led to his current minor fame. We also learn that Holland’s previous home burnt down, caused by a leak in the furnace that Holland never fixed. This has caused Holland’s guilt and present alcoholic status, and I’m going to assume how that his wife (and Holly’s mother) died.
After showing off some impressive detective’s intuition (that ends up being completely wrong; I love this movie), Holland and Jackson stumble their way into Amelia’s location. However, someone else has arrived before them.
Actually, it’s the assassin John Boy, played menacingly by Matt Bomer. We don’t see him here, only the people with Amelia, whom he kills quickly. But what about Amelia? Oh, she miraculously escapes, as usual, and lands on their car. She shoots at them, thinking (rightfully) that they’re working for her mother, but she doesn’t account for the recoil of the pistol. She flies off the car, knocking herself unconscious.
They bring Amelia back to Holland’s place (where Holly and her friend Jessica...or Janet...are), and we finally get her perspective on this situation.
According to Amelia, her mother is a sellout to “big auto” in Detroit and is helping to suppress the development and release of the catalytic converter. In case you didn’t know, catalytic converters reduce toxic gases and pollutants found in car exhaust. Hence Amelia’s protester group going up against pollution. Amelia made an...experimental film (as she insists on calling it) to release the information of her mother’s collusion, as well as the details and other people involved. In other words:
She believes that her mother’s hiring people to kill anyone involved with the film, including her own daughter. Which seems a little far-fetched, but..is it? The plot thickens, and is made even thicker when Holland (stupidly) tells Judith’s assistant, Tally (Yaya DaCosta), that they have Amelia. And I now automatically believe that Tally is the bad guy of this movie.
Tally asks the two to ferry $100,000 to Judith, and they agree to do so. And they leave. Which was a very bad idea, as the assassin John Boy shows up at the house to kill Amelia, fortifying my opinion on Tally.
Meanwhile, in the car, Holland just learned that all cars can self-drive now, in 1978. Bumble (Hannibal Burress) berates him for not knowing that.
Also, March is asleep at the wheel, and the resulting crash breaks the suitcase of money, which is actually just newspaper. Meaning, yeah, Tally’s a confirmed villain.
The two get back in time to fend off John Boy, who just threw Holly’s friend through a WINDOW, JESUS. Speaking of through a window...
This movie’s perfect.
So, John Boy kills Amelia.
Oh. WOW. Was NOT expecting that. They failed. They completely failed. And is Tally actually guilty, or is it Judith, or...who is it? And just when I think we’re done with this case, here comes Mrs. Glenn (Lois Smith), Misty’s aunt. Turns out that what she saw was the mysterious film (called How Do You Like My Car, Big Boy?) linked to the murders! The plan was (and is) to distribute it at the 1978 LA Auto Show. Looks like one last hurrah for the guys.
At the Auto Show is Chet, the projectionist from earlier, who plans to air the film to the public audience at the show. John Boy and Keith David are there to find and stop it, along with...
It is, though. Tally’s working for Detroit and the car companies, alongside the rest of our henchmen. And as she holds the guys at gunpoint, Holly comes in and...no.
No spoilers here. WATCH THE MOVIE if you haven’t already. Because this scene killed me. I mean, every scene killed me, but I’m not spoiling this one.
Anyway, they get out of it (hilariously), and both groups quickly discover that the film is spliced into the Auto Show’s display footage. After Holland pretends to be drunk, Keith David takes him and Holly hostage, where they eventually fall off a roof, David dies, and Holland lands in the pool, where he sees Richard Nixon.
You read me.
Yup. Perfect movie.
Firefight between Holland and John Boy! Holly outmaneuvers Tally, and throws the film out of the window, into the lobby. An auto executive implicated in the film sends his thugs after the tape, bringing in a third party. Holland races the thugs for the reel, while John Boy fights Jackson on the roof. He defeats him, but doesn’t kill him at Holly’s behest.
Finally, Holland gets the tape, and our boys succeed! Sometimes...you just win. I’m definitely feeling that way.
The epilogue arrives, and Basinger expounds that she was “following protocol,” all of which was linked to Detroit and a new engine type mentioned throughout the film. So, yes, Basinger had her daughter killed, although she hired the guys to keep her safe. At the end, she gets arrested, and the car companies get away with it. But, after all of this, Jackson and Holland begin a partnership:
And that...was a REALLY fun movie. But I’ll tell you more in the Epilogue.
