The Fall Guy Review
This fast, funny, action-packed rom-com is a breath of fresh air, but not likely to stay with you for a long time.
After isolating himself as the result of a stunt gone wrong, stuntman Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) finds himself called back to set - the set of his ex-girlfriend Jody Moreno’s (Emily Blunt) new movie to be specific. Once there, producer Gail (Hannah Waddingham) informs him that the star of the film, Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) has gone missing, and Colt has to find him to save his love’s film. Cue a mad-hat, fight and explosion filled search around Sydney, as Colt uses all his stunt skills to get the star back before the movie gets shut down.
David Leitch - the famed stuntman turned director behind films like John Wick - brings The Fall Guy to us, and his history and love of stunts infuses this movie with a real sense of pride. Leitch consistently calls out stunt people in the film, and there’s knowing winks and nods a plenty to industry lingo, the great stunts of history, and the great stunt work in this film.
Ryan Gosling is electric as the hero stuntman Colt Seavers. He’s the perfect funny, lovable, action hero, and lights up every scene he’s in. He and Emily Blunt have a palpable, playful chemistry that reads tremendously on screen. He and Winston Duke also have a great banter. Waddingham is hilarious as the OTT producer, and her work - combined with the work of the props department - manages to encapsulate an entire character in a single can of Diet Coke.
The stunts and action on display here are, as you’d expect, top of class. There’s the talked about world record setting car barrel roll, the fight on the rubbish truck through the streets of Sydney, and plenty of explosions, falls, and innovative fights. It’s enough to keep you enthralled throughout.
While it is a thoroughly entertaining film throughout, the plot isn’t breaking any boundaries here; it’s a relatively expected piece of filmmaking, and the storyline never clicks into a higher gear that brings everything together in a truly satisfying conclusion. Comparing this to John Wick, you’d be hard pressed to have the same level of longevity from The Fall Guy - in the same way that Wick’s sequels probably aren’t as readily recognisable from a plot perspective as the first one is. This film is a blast, but it’s not iconic.
In the end, this is the perfect turn your brain off, blast of fresh fun you might need and is a great option for the family, or even for a date.
