The Fall Guy, while a decent enough bit of popcorn thrill ride, seems almost to mock the current reboot fury, having nothing at all to do with the series that shares its name. There’s a man who works stunts in the movies, Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling), and there the similarities end. The oddity of the anti-reboot will likely manifest itself, to some audiences, as a persistent, “Why?” that colors everything in the film, not least because the fight-infused rom-com doesn’t need (or have) any connection to that which it is allegedly rebooting.
The film kicks off with Seavers at the top of his game in the stunt world, and in a relationship with Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), an unspecified back-of-camera worker in the biz. They flirt. They quip. They get the shot. Seavers is involved in an accident that takes him out of the game for about a year, and he removes himself from his life in the industry, and from Jody. Then he gets a call from a producer, Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham), who wants Seavers to get back on the horse for Jody’s directorial debut. It turns out, something shady is going on, and Seavers is quickly pulled into a web of borderline insanity that involves a dead body and a lot of eyes suddenly turning in his direction.
It’s a film that relies on a lot of stunts and/or things that might be referred to as “the things stunt people get up to in their off time,” and it works surprisingly well because bored, adrenaline junkies come up with some things that look really cool. Pair that with Gosling and Blunt simply existing as two of the most charismatic actors working today and the movie drips with a slick brand of fun that is rarer than you’d think these days.
The overall arc, something that actually harkens back to at least a general feel of ’80s episodic content, if not any particular show, can’t live up to the film’s best scenes, which are either surprisingly emotive or a furious brand of kinetic that borders on the silly. That unfortunately means that as the end approaches, things get goofy as this all has to get wrapped up somehow and we’ve woven together something that all but demands the removal of a mask and a “Jinkies!” exclamation. Most audiences will be able to write it off, because the ride was worth it and, let’s face it, the story never pretended it was as interested in realism as it was in figuring out how to make Gosling flail around in an oversized alien suit.
The real sell, and it works as well today as it ever did, is that the film is a different kind of throwback than a mere reworking of a show few people remember to any significant degree. It’s a high adventure film, though with a lot more explosions, where the action is grandiose, the villains are the people you recognize, the heroes are inevitably saved because the baddies demand their soliloquy, and none of it matters because it’s all about falling in love, being mad, making amends, and having a killer, crooked smile. If it works, and it does, it’s because the actors know how to mug and you’re willing to grade on a curve.
This one actually has some great bonuses if you buy it, and this is one to definitely rewatch. Check them out below. If you like this movie at all, you will love the commentary track.
EXCLUSIVE BONUS FEATURES WHEN YOU OWN on DIGITAL, 4K ULTRA HD, BLU-RAYTM AND DVD:
- EXTENDED CUT – An extended cut of the film with 20 minutes of additional footage featuring more action, more laughs and more stunts.
- GAG REEL
- ALTERNATE TAKES
- STUNTS ON STUNTS: BREAKING DOWN THE ACTION – Five breathtaking breakdowns detail the meticulous designs, careful preparation, and astonishing execution that goes into pulling off the film’s death-defying stunts.
- CITY TRUCK JUMP / SIDEWINDER – Grip the wheel with stunt driver Logan Holladay, who provides a first-person view of an incredible stunt that launches a truck onto a crowded city street.
- GARBAGE BIN – Speed across Sydney’s Harbour Bridge while watching Ryan Gosling and the stunt performers surf on a skidding door, trade punches in a spinning bin, and wrestle with an attack dog.
- BOAT CHASE – Blast back to the past with a classic boat jump stunt, no green screen required, complete with an awesome explosion that lights up the water around the iconic Sydney Opera House.
- CAR JUMP – Prepare for possibly the film’s most dangerous stunt: a bomb-blasting ride in a tricked-out vehicle that leads into a heart-stopping jump across an enormous expanse.
- HIGH FALL – Troy Brown, the son of legendary stunt performer Bob Brown, follows in his father’s footsteps with a high fall off a helicopter like only their family can deliver.
- MAKING A META MASTERPIECE – THE FALL GUY’s filmmaking team and all-star cast take you behind the scenes in Australia for an insider’s look into the creativity and camaraderie that turns the original TV series into a thrilling new movie.
- HOW TO BREAK A WORLD RECORD – Cheer along with the crew as driving double Logan Holladay and the stunt team craft a cannon roll crash that breaks a Guinness World Record.
- NIGHTCLUB MAYHEM – Fight coordinator Sunny Sun and stunt double Justin Eaton venture behind the camera to choreograph a bottle-breaking battle between Colt Seavers and Doone’s goons.
- THE ART OF DOUBLING – Meet stunt double Ben Jenkin, a man willing to be set on fire, hit by a car, and take risks with Ryan Gosling to collectively make a single character look cool.
- MAKING METALSTORM – Cowboys collide with aliens in this look at the creation of METALSTORM, THE FALL GUY’s film within the film.
- FALLING FOR THE FALL GUY WITH BOB REESE – Professional parkour athlete and influencer Bob Reese recreates stunts from the movie, including a scissor-lift dive, Kong vault, and heart-stopping high fall.
- FEATURE COMMENTARY with Director/Producer David Leitch and Producer Kelly McCormick [Available on both theatrical and extended cuts]
