The Fall Guy (Review)
SUMMER IS HERE. We are officially in the month of May which kicks off summer blockbuster season. Does The Fall Guy, the first movie of the season, fit in with this summer itinerary though? Lets dive in.
After leaving the business one year earlier, battle-scarred stuntman Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) springs back into action when the star of a big studio movie suddenly disappears. As the mystery surrounding the missing actor deepens, Colt soon finds himself ensnared in a sinister plot that pushes him to the edge of a fall more dangerous than any stunt.
First - Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, just wow. Both of them are fantastic here. They each are coming off of last year’s smash hits, Barbie and Oppenheimer, or simply Barbenheimer, and continue to be on the top of their game. Their on screen chemistry is nothing short of fantastic which really brings out the heart of the film, something I did not expect here. I was expecting the action and the fun, but the heart and story was refreshing to see. Another performer that shows up here and there is Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who is good as always but he is not really at his best so I could say I have seen him in better. He's good nonetheless though. Winston Duke though is an absolute delight. He is hilarious and has really great chemistry with Gosling the most, but he is for sure a stand out in terms of talent within the film. Gosling, Blunt and Duke create the triple standouts throughout this one.
David Leitch directs this film brilliantly. The camera work is clean and the action is well directed, which is something to be expected at this point from a David Leitch film. He formally directed Bullet Train, which is another high speed action film from a few years ago but this one feels more grand. There is a lot more action set pieces and the way he directs his fight sequences is gorgeous because everything can be seen clearly, which should keep the audience engaged the entire time.
Speaking of audience engagement, the script by Drew Pearce is a good part of the fun. It's whitty and filled with humor that does not feel dry and is sure to deliver. Not only is there humor, but there's love thrown into the mix which keeps everything threaded together beautifully. The script does a great job at understanding stunt performers and their daily tasks on set. It highlights their duties as the ones who are on film sets to ensure spectacles can be achieved, but never get enough credit. I specifically like that we see Colt in the action on set doing the dirty work. I think Pearce does a wonderful job at bringing this story to life, providing enough to say to make the message relevant. The one negative thing I will say about the movie is that the end it does feel like it drags on a tad bit too long. It kind of has that Marvel movie feel where everything hits the fan but it takes way too long to wrap up, but luckily the spectacale stays credible until the credits roll.
In the end, The Fall Guy is a hit. It's a love letter to the very undercredited stunt performers who never get enough recognition for the work they do on film sets. You can see here the dedication that went into making this film and it's one that will bring smiles to a lot of faces, especially those who are fans from the old TV series of the same name. It's not even just a shut your brain off kind of film - the message the film tells is clear, making it all that much better. Check it out in theaters if you get the chance.
RATING:
4/5
The Fall Guy opens in theaters Friday.
