The Nice Guys (2016) is a neo-noir buddy comedy directed by Shane Black, co-written with Anthony Bagarozzi, produced by Joel Silver, and starring Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling as its wonderfully mismatched leads.
It’s one of the finest comedies—and a big part of that comes from its killer 70s soundtrack.

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1970s Los Angeles

Initially, the film isn't meant to take place in the 70s. The shift suggestion comes from Bagarozzi—and everything clicks. As Shane Black puts it, the decade “carries a very different energy: post-protest, culturally mixed, a little chaotic, but with a sense that everyone was somehow sharing the same strange ride.” 

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Set in 70s LA, private eye Holland March (Gosling) and enforcer Jackson Healy (Crowe) are looking for a missing teenage girl (Qualley) and the story quickly spirals into something much bigger. The real magic, however, lies in the world-building. 

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Visually, The Nice Guys feels less like a period piece and more like a recovered artifact. Philippe Rousselot, the cinematographer, gives the movie that hazy, golden decay that is both glamorous and dirty. Production designer Richard Bridgland recreates the era by studying Super 8 films and documentary photos and referencing designers like Verner Panton for interiors. Even the film's fun moments stay true to the era! Arny Freytag, the man behind many of the 70s Playboy centerfolds, helps shoot the glamour photography scenes of Misty Mountains. 

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And before the story even begins, we see Warner Bros. opening the film using its 1972–84 “Big W” logo, originally designed by Saul Bass. 

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The premiere follows suit—held at the TCL Chinese Theatre, then rolling straight into a 70s-themed after-party at The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

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​Two Musical Worlds: The Score and The Soundtrack

Then there is the Score and the Soundtrack! The Nice Guys does something very clever: it builds a custom-made 70s-inspired score, then adds songs from the era. As a result, the film literally breathes 70s.

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Score: John Ottman & David Buckley

The original score comes from John Ottman and David Buckley—not names we would immediately associate with funk or jazz.

Ottman is known for working with Bryan Singer on movies like The Usual Suspects, X-Men, and Superman Returns. Buckley is known for his orchestral work on shows like The Good Wife and The Sandman—but their disco-jazz score in The Nice Guys is full of period vibes.

The score is inspired by composers like Lalo Schifrin and Don Ellis. It has muted trumpets, bass flutes, funk guitars, and that unmistakable "chicka-chicka" rhythm guitar, all wrapped up in a slightly modern orchestral layer.

Ottman says he looked to shows like S.W.A.T. and The Streets of San Francisco for inspiration—and you can hear this right away in the main theme.

Instead of treating the characters individually, the theme is written as a duo piece, catching how March and Healy click as a team. The theme keeps coming back in different ways as the movie goes on. Sometimes it's playful, sometimes it's hidden in action cues, and other times it's stretched into something that feels almost sentimental.

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Songs: Randall Poster’s 70s Mixtape

The movie has a lot of "jukebox" gold from the period, alongside the original score. This is because Randall Poster steps in! 

Poster, who has worked with Wes Anderson for a long time and made soundtracks for movies like The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Darjeeling Limited, thinks of music as a story, not as a decoration. Working alongside Shane Black and Joel Silver, he assembles a soundtrack that leans toward the mainstream sound of the 70s, rather than obscure deep cuts: 'Papa Was a Rollin' Stone' – The Temptations, 'Get Down On It' – Kool & the Gang, 'Boogie Oogie Oogie' – A Taste of Honey, 'September' and 'Boogie Wonderland' – Earth, Wind & Fire (pushed in by Joel Silver), 'Love and Happiness' – Al Green. 

The music here is bright, lively, sometimes it even goes against the darker noir tone—and that contrast is exactly what makes it work. 

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The soundtrack is released by Lakeshore Records in multiple formats, including a vinyl edition that feels like a time capsule in itself. The “Collector’s Edition” 2xLP release—designed by iam8bit—is all according to the movie’s style: Pink vinyl. A gatefold that opens into a 3D centerfold & therefore 3D glasses. Sid Shattuck posters, Nice Guys Agency business cards. The 70s experience continues! 

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The Visual Groove: Opening Title

The opening title sequence of the movie is a work of art in 70s graphic design as well. Created by Prologue Films, it uses period-appropriate fonts and colors that perfectly set the stage for the funk to follow: 'Papa was a Rolling Stone' plays and trips us back to 1977. 🎼 😎

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Gülben - 3/2026

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