The Fall Guy Review
Colt Seaver seems to have it all. He has one of the best jobs in the world as the stuntman for the world’s biggest action star, Tom Ryder. On top of that, he has fallen in love with camera operator Jody Moreno.
Everything seems perfect. But when a stunt on Ryder’s latest film goes wrong, Colt finds himself severely injured. No longer feeling invincible, he withdraws from everything… including his relationship with Jody.
Eighteen months later, Colt finds himself at rock bottom when the phone rings. Producer Gail Meyer wants him to return to stunts for Tom Ryder.
Colt is initially skeptical until Gail tells him that Jody is the director of Tom’s big blockbuster film, and she has requested him to do stunts. Seeing an opportunity to rekindle the flame with Jody, he immediately hops on a flight to Sydney to join the production.
But as Colt arrives, he discovers that Gail has ulterior motives. Not only did Jody not request his presence, but she despised him for ghosting her. Colt discovers that the real reason Gail wanted him is because Tom Ryder has gone missing.
She wants Colt to find him since he knows the superstar actor best. If he’s not found soon, Jody’s first production is doomed. Colt reluctantly begins searching for the wayward actor but soon discovers he may be in over his head, and it will take all of his stuntman skills to keep him alive.
The Fall Guy is one of those all-around enjoyable films. It has broad appeal for men and women, young and old. It has laughs, action, romance, twists, and turns. And, of course, a dog. The end result is a quite fun trip to the movies.
Ryan Gosling’s performance as Colt Seavers and Emily Blunt’s performance as Jody Moreno are largely responsible for The Fall Guy‘s success. The two have phenomenal chemistry together, and their banter is always entertaining.
While Gosling has movie star good looks, he remains as likable as Colt. He’s tough and skilled but, at the same time, is content to be the butt of the joke. That lovable loser persona works well and instantly makes the audience warm up to him.
Emily Blunt is similarly likable as Jody. Seeing her fulfill her dream of being a director is inspiring, and you understand why Colt would want to help her. Due to their breakup, Jody’s heart is broken, yet she’s unwilling to fold. In fact, she gives Colt a deservedly hard time for ghosting her, setting him on fire repeatedly to make her point.
While the stunts are the centerpiece of the film, the romance between Colt and Jody is equally engaging for the audience. It doesn’t hurt that the two lead actors seem to be having a lot of fun while bringing their characters to life.
While Gosling and Blunt have most of the spotlight, the supporting cast all get moments to shine as well. Aaron Taylor-Johnson hams it up as Tom Ryder, the narcissistic, out-of-control actor. Amusingly, he seems to be channeling the accent of Matthew McConaughey in his performance in the fake film “Metal Storm.”
Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham is also funny in the role of Gail Meyer, the frazzled producer on the sci-fi epic. Her struggle to keep everything together is amusing, and you know she had to be basing her performance on unnamed producers from her past.
Stephanie Hsu gets laughs and a surprising amount of action as the production assistant, Alma Milan. And Winston Duke also gets a number of fun lines as the stunt coordinator and movie buff Dan Tucker.
One of the things that surprised me was how continuously funny The Fall Guy was. There were consistent, genuine laughs the entire time. In one scene, Jody catches Colt singing and crying to a Taylor Swift song as he reminisces about their break-up. In another scene, Colt is secretly drugged by a spiked drink. For the next 10 minutes of the film, he sees unicorns in the background of every scene.
Late in the film, a dog named Jean Claude joins the cast and adds pet humor to the repertoire. And there are plenty of movie in-jokes as well. There’s a running gag about Comic-Con and Hall H that anyone who has been to SDCC will appreciate. (You’ll know who they are when they laugh out loud in the theater.) But never fear – you don’t have to be a movie insider to appreciate them. There are all sorts of other subtle jokes along the way.
In a movie starring a stuntman (and directed by former stuntman David Leitch) you would expect there to be spectacular stunts. And there are. We are treated to a world-record car roll on a beach, falls from a helicopter, exploding boats, and insanely long car jumps. Few tricks are left in the bag by the time the credits roll.
Make sure you stay through the middle of the credits to see not only behind-the-scenes footage but also a bonus scene revealing the villain’s fate and a tie to the ’80s TV show starring Lee Majors and Heather Thomas.
My only gripe about The Fall Guy is its minor pacing issues. It generally runs at a breakneck pace, but when it slows down, the lulls tend to be a little long. However, this is forgivable, as things pick back up soon enough.
The Fall Guy is a perfect date movie. It’s funny, romantic, and action-packed. There’s something for everyone. Movie buffs will enjoy it on an extra level as it is a love letter to stunts and the magic of moviemaking.
THE FALL GUY RATING: 8 OUT OF 10
Opening in theaters on Friday, May 3, 2024, The Fall Guy is rated PG-13 for action and violence, drug content, and some strong language.
