This review was made possible by an advance screening of The Fall Guy. The Fall Guy releases in theaters on May 2, 2024.
I went into The Fall Guy completely unaware that it was a loose adaptation of a TV series from the 80s, so unfortunately, I won’t be able to judge how it did compared to that, but as its own entity, The Fall Guy succeeds at many things and is secretly more than just an action-comedy film. David Leitch is a director who has proven time and time again that he knows not only how to direct an action film, but also how to combine it with some good quality comedy, as he has directed both Bullet Train and Deadpool 2, which are arguably hilarious films. Still, there’s another reason why I believe that David Leitch was the perfect choice for The Fall Guy, and I’ll dive into that in this review.
The Fall Guy follows Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling), who works as a stunt double for the famous action star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), as he’s sent on a mission by Tom’s film producer Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham) to search for Tom when he goes missing, to ensure that Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt) still has a lead for her directorial debut.
It goes without saying that this film focuses on the stunt crew behind films, with the main character being one himself. It’s one of the hardest jobs on a film set and tends to get overlooked, especially during award season when it’s completely ignored. Action films wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for stunt performers, and The Fall Guy shows the beauty of the craft but also shows how dangerous it can be, possibly ending one’s career or, even worse, ending one’s life. I believe David Leitch is the perfect director to touch on the topic of stunt performers on set because, before he directed films, he was doubling as Brad Pitt’s stunt double. Leitch understands first-hand what it takes to be a stunt performer. Not only does The Fall Guy give stunt performers the respect they deserve on screen, but also during the credits, as it showcases a reel of the real stunt performers who worked on the film.
The Fall Guy is an action film through-and-through, one that has Ryan Gosling getting flung around for its entire duration. The action itself is exhilarating and pumps you full of adrenaline. Each action sequence is also littered with jokes, but always in the right place, as Drew Pearce clearly understands comedic timing with his writing that Ryan Gosling manages to pull off so well. Many might think this film is an action-comedy, which it still is, but deep down within its heart, it’s a romantic comedy. Something that I truly didn’t expect to get a lot of.
The first portion of the film feels like it deprives itself of action as it takes its time to focus on the relationship between Colt and Jody – a relationship that shares parallels with the film that Jody is directing. The film gets creative with its editing, as there are moments where a split screen will be used for conversations between Colt and Jody where they mimic each other’s movements. For a film that isn’t advertised as a romantic comedy, it sure does do a better job than a lot of recent ones manage to do, and that’s simply because of the energy that both Ryan and Emily give off and the combination of their love story, the comedy, and the action.
The performances in this film are to die for, not because some crazy out-of-this-world stunts get performed (it’s partially the reason), but because the chemistry that Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt have radiates off the screen, to the point where I now want to continue seeing them in movies together. I couldn’t stop thinking that I just wanted their characters to have the perfect ending. Winston Duke also stars in this film as Dan Tucker, who is Colt’s best friend and stunt coordinator. He also gives a hilarious performance and, in one scene, steals the show as he shows off his fighting moves. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who barely appears in the film, also shines when he gets the chance to appear, and doesn’t fail to play the perfect douche actor that his character is. Hannah Waddingham might simply have one of the best performances out of the supporting cast, as I simply forgot that it was her in the role, and though she plays a similar character in terms of personality in Ted Lasso, her character in The Fall Guy manages to feel fresh and unique.
Just like how David Leitch is the perfect director for the job thanks to his experience as a stuntman, Ryan Gosling is the perfect actor for Colt Seavers. It’s not the first time that Ryan Gosling has had to play a stuntman, as he played one previously in 2011’s Drive. The characters that Ryan Gosling tends to find himself playing are coincidentally similar to each other in personality, and while for most actors, it starts to get tiring seeing them in the same roles consistently, Ryan Gosling pulls it off well each and every time, bringing something new and unexpected to his performances.
As mentioned previously numerous times, The Fall Guy is a laugh-out-loud movie, and what helps it is its meta jokes about the film industry. There are many more scenes, like the split-screen sequence where they make fun of what they’re doing. Another great use of this in the film is when Colt is forced to repeat a stunt, injuring himself again and again as a punishment from Jody. The Fall Guy uses Jody’s film Metalstorm to delve into deeper themes such as redemption to help flesh out the relationship between these characters more, while still providing that humourous edge to the film, allowing it to never get too serious but to also never get too silly. Pearce manages to keep a steady balance between drama, action, and humour, all essential elements that help this film be as good as it is.
The cinematography for The Fall Guy is outlandishly beautiful, the set pieces are grand, and it’s just unbelievable what they’re able to achieve with this film. It’s an achievement within itself that they won a Guinness World Record for the most cannon rolls performed in a car, and which proves that the crew put blood, sweat, and tears into making the experience of creating this film as authentic as it could’ve been.
‘The Fall Guy’ – Final Thoughts
The Fall Guy is a fun cinema flick that packs a punch with its action, has you catching your breath with its humour, and has your heart racing with its romance. It’s a love letter to the stunt crew and honours them from start to finish, reminding us why they are some of the most important people on a film crew. If this film doesn’t prove why they deserve an award for their hard and honest work, then I don’t know what will. While the story itself might be quite predictable in what direction it’s heading in with its mystery, the emotional nuance that Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt’s characters bring to the screen is where the real storytelling lies. It’s visually beautiful, with all the amazing action set-pieces and all the explosions and flames you could imagine. This is undoubtedly one of David Leitch’s best films, and it shows that with each film he makes, he only improves. I hope, just like with Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who previously appeared in Bullet Train, that we can see more Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt in future films of his.
The Fall Guy releases in theaters on May 2, 2024. Check out the trailer below.
