A stuntman tries to save his old flame’s directorial debut and find the main star who has gone missing from set as things go awry in the funny and heartwarming action comedy, The Fall Guy.
In 1981, Lee Majors segued from The Six Million Dollar Man into the role of Colt Seavers, a stuntman with a side interest in tracking down baddies. The show was fun, action filled, and unfortunately largely forgettable in the grand scheme of television shows of the 80s. So when David Leitch brought the show from the small screen to the big screen, many weren’t even aware that it was based on an existing IP. Not that it mattered, because the film is an amazingly stellar standalone installment.
Starring Ryan Gosling in the shoes of Majors, and with Emily Blunt as a completely reimagined and highly progressive take on Jody, The Fall Guy is adorable, absurd, and an absolute blast. Blending themes of romantic comedy, action and mystery thriller, there’s something going on every step of the way to keep you hooked, with a good mix of massive set piece stunts and quiet moments to endear you to these characters, and the supporting cast, as well.
The chemistry between Gosling and Blunt is undeniable, and it stands to bargain that it’s a major selling point for the whole film. From the first moment you see them together, you’re dying for them to have a happily ever after, and that hook is played up perfectly in quirky and humorous interactions between the characters that illustrate both agitation and love in better ways than even most romantic comedies accomplish.
The story is even more fully fleshed out once Aaron Taylor Johnson’s Tom Ryder comes into the picture, and we’re treated to a unique revelation of deceit, privilege and callousness that manages to mirror just how poorly stunt crews are often treated by major stars and talent, and how overlooked they are as a whole from the people who matter most in the industry. While the story itself reaches into the more preposterous end of things, and believability is rather low, it’s still a wonderful vehicle for drawing attention to how important stuntmen and women are to the film industry. And if anybody has the right to tell that story, it’s David Leitch.
While it suffers from the same woes as his previous outing, Bullet Train, in how it runs slightly too long and the story starts to fall apart a bit towards the end, it’s still an all around good time. There’s even a stunt dog who only responds to commands in French. Where else can you get something like that?
The set design is fabulous, showcasing some of Australia’s most beautiful attractions without feeling like a distraction, and the costume design is on point, too. I now own that Miami Vice Stunt Crew jacket. Don’t judge me.
With a killer soundtrack utilizing not only KISS but Taylor Swift, and with hilarity abounding from wordplay and physical comedy at every turn, it’s also amazingly unoffending. Featuring strong female characters, diversity, progressiveness and a statement about how dangerous AI and copyrighted appearances can be, it’s the kind of movie you’ll want to watch again and again, and you’ll laugh every time.
There’s explosions. There’s fight scenes. There’s kissing. There’s unicorns. What more could you want?
