‘The Nice Guys’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Rob Mahoney
March 24, 2026 · The Nice Guys (2016) · Action · Comedy · Crime · 1:29:33 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Who Won the Movie
Bill SimmonsRyan Gosling — Discusses Ryan Gosling as obviously in the running and how he benefited by showing his range across multiple genres, but doesn't give a definitive pick▶ 13:15
Chris RyanRyan Gosling — Praises Gosling's willingness to be vulnerable and take comedic risks that other young actors won't take, calling him 'your number one guy' of this generation▶ 15:16
Rob MahoneyRyan Gosling — Emphasizes both Gosling's willingness to embarrass himself and Russell Crowe's essential counterweight performance, suggesting both benefited significantly▶ 14:24
Would Roger Ebert Have Liked This Movie
Bill SimmonsThree and a half stars - Ebert would have loved Gosling and liked these goofy genre movies▶ 25:02
Most Rewatchable Scene
Chris Ryanthe porn party scene (though emphasizes the Chet kid scene as what makes the movie special)▶ 32:58
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Bill SimmonsHolly (the 13-year-old girl character) as a movie trope, though he likes the performance▶ 46:34
Chris RyanHolly's presence in too many adventures, questioning if the movie would be better if she stayed home for half of them▶ 46:21
What's Aged the Worst
Bill SimmonsHad trouble finding what's aged the worst because the movie's aged really well and it's set in the 70s when it's supposed to age badly▶ 50:22
Chris RyanThe exterior shots of LA that were actually filmed in downtown Atlanta - you can tell the streets are too narrow or there's too much foliage in different places▶ 50:29
Overacting Award
Bill SimmonsMargaret Qualley — Blue face dialing it up the whole time, and Qualley's monologue where she screams 'it's not a porn!'▶ 51:48
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsKeith David — Says there are no casting what-ifs because the movie just came out, mentions Keith David as 'best that guy' and Bo Knapp as Blueface▶ 59:45
Dion Waiters Award
Bill SimmonsTy Simpkins — Lance Valentine (the little kid with the big dick) - only in one scene, perfect Dion performance▶ 1:00:36
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsRussell Crowe — Crowe for Rob personally; Gosling with this movie and La La Land; discusses various other Apex Mountains including Shane Black for Lethal Weapon 1, Keith David for The Thing, 1977 as greatest year▶ 1:02:32
Chris RyanRyan Gosling — Discusses whether Gosling has more cachet post-Barbie than after La La Land; agrees Shane Black's Apex Mountain is Lethal Weapon 1▶ 1:03:07
Hanks or Cruise
Chris RyanTom Hanks — Hanks for Holland March (Russell Crowe's character) at a different time in his life, like late 80s after Punchline▶ 1:05:58
Is This Movie Better With
Bill SimmonsZane Lowe — Suggested Zane Lowe interviewing John Boy, then proposed combining Zane Lowe with Leo's Blood Diamond character▶ 1:12:29
Chris RyanZane Lowe — Performed an elaborate Zane Lowe impression interviewing John Boy about being named after a Walton character▶ 1:12:32
Just One Oscar
Chris RyanRyan Gosling — Agrees with Gosling for Best Actor, praising his reactions and delivery that make lines funnier than they would be on the page▶ 1:15:25
Rob MahoneyRyan Gosling — Supports Gosling, highlighting how he sells every moment with winks and eyebrow raises when the character thinks he's being smart▶ 1:15:50
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsHow long did the Nice Guys Agency keep going before Jackson Healy died of a massive heart attack?▶ 1:17:53
Chris RyanLike two years later? Or how March gets his child taken away by protective services? Imminent.▶ 1:17:59
Best Double Feature
Bill SimmonsThe Other Guys — The Nice Guys paired with The Other Guys - calling it 'Guys Night' or 'Nice Guys Night'▶ 1:21:31
Chris RyanNo Sudden Move — No Sudden Move (Steven Soderbergh movie with Don Cheadle) - pairing it with The Nice Guys because both are Detroit crime films▶ 1:21:06
Rob MahoneyMichael Clayton — Suggested drama-comedy pairing like Michael Clayton or The Pelican Brief - another corporate conspiracy movie. Found Kiss Kiss Bang Bang 'too easy'▶ 1:21:16
Movies Referenced (79)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neighbors (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Bill Simmons, Rob Mahoney | ▶ 22:54 |
| Blood Diamond (2006) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Rob Mahoney | ▶ 10:35 |
| Gladiator (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Rob Mahoney, Chris Ryan | ▶ 57:06 |
| La La Land (2016) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Rob Mahoney | ▶ 9:38 |
| Iron Man 3 (2013) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 21:41 |
| Lethal Weapon (1987) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 16:32 |
| Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Rob Mahoney, Chris Ryan | ▶ 21:40 |
| They Live (1988) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:04:19 |
| The Other Guys (2010) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:21:30 |
| American History X (1998) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 10:22 |
| Barbie (2023) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 11:33 |
| Boogie Nights (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 4:22 |
Directors Referenced (5)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warren Beatty | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Heaven Can Wait | ▶ 14:38 |
| Anthony D. Syracuse | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 20:18 | |
| Bridget Jones | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Rob Mahoney | ▶ 34:50 | |
| Sean Penn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking | ▶ 45:55 |
| Steven Soderbergh | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:21:06 |
Actors Referenced (62)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Gosling | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 24 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Rob Mahoney | Blue Valentine, La La Land | ▶ 3:29 |
| Russell Crowe | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 19 | Bill Simmons, Rob Mahoney, Chris Ryan | Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind | ▶ 6:41 |
| Keith David | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | They Live, Armageddon | ▶ 20:59 |
| Holly Hunter | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Rob Mahoney | Broadcast News | ▶ 29:33 |
| Kim Basinger | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Rob Mahoney, Chris Ryan | L.A. Confidential, Batman | ▶ 47:09 |
| Margaret Qualley | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Rob Mahoney, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood | ▶ 17:41 |
| Reggie Jackson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Rob Mahoney | The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! | ▶ 28:30 |
| Wang Chung | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | To Live and Die in L.A., Deadpool | ▶ 1:02:43 |
| Zane Lowe | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:12:20 | |
| Avery Brooks | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | American History X | ▶ 52:48 |
| Demi Moore | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Rob Mahoney, Bill Simmons | Striptease, Indecent Proposal | ▶ 49:05 |
| Frances McDormand | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | Fargo, Almost Famous | ▶ 48:39 |
Writers Referenced (7)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shane Black | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 15 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Rob Mahoney | Predator, The Nice Guys, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang | ▶ 16:31 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Rob Mahoney | ▶ 24:20 | |
| Jackie Files | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 6:15 | |
| Agatha Christie | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:02:10 | |
| Brett Halliday | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Kiss Kiss Bang Bang | ▶ 21:17 |
| Critical Role | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:17:29 | |
| William Goldman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men, The Princess Bride | ▶ 14:50 |
Cinematographers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lotfi El Gorda | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Aquaman, Noah | ▶ 44:07 |