cinema scope
A celebration of stunt work and those who perform it, The Fall Guy thoroughly entertains with its action and wit
The Fall Guy
Hollywood loves making movies about itself, but such films often have the tendency to come off as self-important or pretentious or indulgent (or all of the above). The Fall Guy is quite the opposite. The latest offering by David Leitch is a love letter to filmmaking that is just a whole lot of fun with no pretentiousness in sight.
Inspired by the ‘80s television series of the same name, the film pays homage to action flicks and tips its proverbial hat to the stunt performers who make these movies possible.
The plot revolves around Colt Seavers (an incredibly charming Ryan Gosling), a down-on-his-luck stuntman who withdraws from the industry after a stunt goes wrong, abandoning both his career and his ladylove, camerawoman Jody Moreno (the lovely Emily Blunt), along the way.
A year and a half later, Colt is approached by producer Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham) to once again work as the stunt double for famous actor Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), who is now starring in a sci-fi epic that is being directed by Jody.
Under the impression that his ex-girlfriend wants him to join the production, Colt arrives on set in Sydney, only to realize that Jody never asked for him and is still fuming over their breakup. It soon becomes obvious that our hero has been lured to the set under false pretences. Embroiled in a conspiracy, Colt must figure out what’s actually going on and save Jody’s directorial debut.
The absurdly entertaining ridiculousness that ensues is simply a lot of action-packed fun.
The film references and meta humour are bound to amuse movie buffs. The action is thoroughly entertaining, and you can tell that the set pieces have been shaped by someone who clearly revels in and appreciates the intricacies of the craft; Leitch’s work as a stunt performer makes him the ideal choice to helm the vehicle. The cast is terrific; everyone is so committed to the zaniness of the premise, it's glorious.
Ultimately, its story might not be exceptionally clever and your mind might need to skirt a few plot holes along the way, but The Fall Guy is still a very enjoyable popcorn flick with an excellent cast and crew. Filled to the brim with entertaining action, built around a gentle romance, and wrapped in complete and utter silliness, the film is likely to leave you with a grin on your face (and a Phil Collins song stuck in your head!)
Rating: 4 out of 5
Us Magazine, The News - 14 June, 2024 *
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