The Fall Guy
Rating: 5/5
By: Nathaniel Simpson
It is no secret that Ryan Gosling is perhaps my favorite actor of all time. At the same time, films that revolve around filmmaking or the life in Hollywood, such as Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" and Damien Chazelle's "La La Land", is my favorite categories of film plots. Therefore, it seems quite inevitable that I was going to have an absolutely amazing time with David Leitch's new movie, The Fall Guy. This was already my most anticipated film of the year, but I was a little worried that I may have gotten my hopes up a little too high. Yet, when the film started, I knew this was going to be such an incredible cinematic experience, and this movie exceeded my expectations. Leitch and his cast delivered on everything I would've hoped, and more, making this the perfect example of an awesome summer blockbuster!
The film follows stuntman Colt Seavers (Gosling), who left the world of being a stuntman after an accident took him out for a while. Not only does he lose his career, but he loses the girl of his dreams, aspiring director Jody (Emily Blunt). Now, a year-and-a-half later, he gets the chance to be a stuntman on Jody's newest film, where he will be working with his usual partner, movie star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). However, what he doesn't expect is for the action star to go missing.
Ryder's manager Gail (Hannah Waddingham) informs him of this, and send him on a mission to try and find Ryder so they can continue shooting the film and it doesn't get shut down. He is then sent on an epic, high-stakes mission to find this snobby actor, while also trying to woo Jody over again and convince her to give him another chance.
Like any other Leitch film, who I honestly think might be one of my favorite filmmakers working today, this movie is high-octane action that never slows down. Yet, what makes this one so unique is that it is celebrating the act of filmmaking, most specifically the stunt workers on these film sets. They usually never get the recognition they deserve, and Leitch, who was a stuntman before becoming a director, wanted to make sure they are seen in this film. I think he does this perfectly, through the various stunts in the movie and the character of Colt.
Colt is such a fun and enjoyable character, who is also quite relatable despite the amazing action sequences he is in. Screenwriter Drew Pearce really takes care in crafting this character, and makes the viewer feel like they can relate to such a badass person. While he is kicking major ass towards the middle of the movie, he's probably thinking about Jody and how he can win her over. He is not like the normal movie star characters where they show no real emotion and just care about looking cool while beating up the bad guys. Consider the scene where he is in a life-or-death situation and he is shown choking up and being visually scared. This is such a refreshing change in our action heroes, especially since this is an action-comedy for the most part.
Pearce and Leitch just really have something special here, and they know it when making this film. They go all out, and don't hold anything back. They make sure that their characters and their action stunts work on every single level, and it thankfully plays off in the end. This film had me on the edge of my seat throughout, while also falling in love with this romantic story between our two main leads. They really did everything they needed to, and I am so happy this movie worked so well.
Gosling and Blunt are perfect in the roles, and have absolutely amazing chemistry. Gosling is just so likable, like he always is, and is just such a fun person to watch in a movie like this. It is obvious he is having such a great time here, and his joy is just infectious. At the same time, Blunt is great in this role, and this one also just feels like an actress having such a fun time with her character and the film she is set in. The minor characters here, played by Taylor-Johnson, Waddingham, Winston Duke as Dan Tucker, Colt's best friend and stunt coordinator, Stephanie Hsu as Alma, Ryder's assistant, and Teresa Palmer as Ryder's girlfriend Iggy, all do a great job of complimenting the main stars, as well as having fun playing these over-the-top characters,
I am so happy this movie exists, and I wouldn't want anyone else but Leitch and Gosling to craft it. Like I said, this is the perfect definition of a summer blockbuster, and it works perfectly. From the screenplay by Pearce to the direction from Leitch to the fantastic acting performances and amazing stunt work, this high-octane film will have you on the edge of your seat, make you laugh and possibly cry, and have you wanting to cheer on your favorite characters throughout the entire runtime. This movie is everything I could have wanted and much more, and cements Leitch as one of my favorite directors working today and, of course, Gosling as still my favorite actor.
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