Reviews

The Fall Guy

Verdict: The Fall Guy is a gloriously entertaining movie that shines a light on the work of stunt performers

  • Emily Blunt, Ryan Gosling, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Stephanie Hsu
  • May 2nd 2024
  • David Leitch

Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt showcase their star power in David Leitch’s action-comedy-romance The Fall Guy.

Previously on either side of the Barbenheimer divide, Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt have now come together for some action hijinks in The Fall Guy.

David Leitch’s movie, based on the ’80s TV series of the same name, follows Colt Seavers (Gosling), the stunt double for in-demand A-list actor Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). After being out of the business for 18 months due to an accident, Colt is called up to work on the directorial debut of his ex-girlfriend Jody Moreno (Blunt) in Sydney.

While he is hesitant about returning to stunt work, Colt accepts producer Gail Meyer’s (Hannah Waddingham) request in the hopes of winning Jody back. However, Gail has an ulterior motive – Tom has gone missing and she needs Colt to track him down and save the film.

The Fall Guy is a gloriously entertaining movie that has something for everyone – action, comedy and romance. It isn’t perfect but the individual charisma of the two leading stars and the chemistry between them make up for some of its shortcomings.

Director Leitch used to be a stuntman so he was the perfect person to make this film. It is packed full of action, from hand-to-hand combat, car chases, pyrotechnics to awe-inspiring setpieces, which were mostly done on location with practical stunts.

Leitch wanted to create a love letter to stunt performers and he has certainly pulled that off. The Fall Guy takes us behind the scenes of a movie shoot and shines a light on the work of these unsung heroes.

The film delivers on the romance front too, with audiences wanting these two to get back together. Gosling channels his Kenergy as the lovesick stuntman while Blunt plays the hurt and cautious Jody.

It sadly falls short with the comedy. Gosling and Blunt do their best to make their lines work but there are some clangers. It should have been funnier, especially with someone as hilarious as Gosling in the lead role.

The Fall Guy may not be perfect but it is a lot of fun. Gosling and Blunt are a wonderfully matched pair and should work together again!

In cinemas from Thursday 2nd May.

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