1. Harry Lockhart - Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
To my mind, this little-seen action comedy hybrid, infused with film noir sensibilities and a giddy self-awareness, contains Robert Downey Jr.'s finest performance to date. Written and directed by Shane Black (the guy who also wrote and directed
Iron Man 3, as it happens), it tells the story of Harry Lockhart, a petty thief who gets caught up in the Hollywood lifestyle when he accidentally wanders into an audition (whilst being chased by the cops) and catches the attention of several movie producers. Shane Black's trademark dialogue has always felt like it might sound right coming out of Downey Jr.'s chops, and it totally does: this is Downey Jr. at his most likeable. He's like a down and out Tony Stark - lacking the bravado and genius intellect, but imbued with all the one-liners and witty asides that you'd expect from a Downey Jr. character. Lockhart is a klutz and a bit of a loser, but he's also totally loveable at the same time. And Downey Jr.'s banter with Val Kilmer, who also puts in his best performance ever as "Gay" Perry van Shrike, makes this a truly unmissable exercise in the "buddy cop" movie genre. If you're a fan of Downey Jr. and you've missed this, you also happen to have missed the man working at the full peak of his powers:
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang has it all (including this hilarious scene involving both breasts and spiders, which you definitely shouldn't miss)...