Shane Black, a bright, experienced screenwriter directing his second movie, is an anonymous leader of a vast technical army, and the film's saving graces are Downey's Stark, a charming neurotic; Rebecca Hall, an
old flame who seems to have taken a wrong turn but is infinitely more engaging than Stark's tiresome current girlfriend Gwyneth Paltrow; and especially Ben Kingsley, a big surprise in every sense as the villainous «Mandarin», his best performance since
Sexy Beast.
Whether it's an
old flame, played by Don Johnson, or Andy Garcia's
sexy pilot, a few new men enter their lives giving the women an excuse to step outside their comfort zones in more ways than one.