The Long Goodbye (1973)
Moody film that is all atmosphere, noir parody played straight. Kept me confused on what tone it was aiming for, in a good way, as we have the rather absurd intro with getting cat food and the running gag of the naked yoga ladies next door - that never really goes anywhere, and then a pretty standard fare noir thriller plot with a fumbling protagonist finding himself tangled up in a messy conspiracy. It is treading a fine balance of serious and gritty with absurd. There are situations that escalate quickly beyond reason and tensions that just fade away. It completely undermines the normal beats of such noir plots, by going completely sideways when you least expect it. The expected payoffs are absent. The great thing is that is not frustrating, it is refreshing to be genuinely caught off guard from something that looks and feels so familiar.
Rating: 4