#REVIEW: “THE FALL GUY”

By Mr. Will Wong

THE FALL GUY is an absolute blast!  Literally too.  David Leitch (Bullet Train) is back with a high-octane ride, drawing inspiration loosely from the original ’80s TV Series on which it is based.  There’s plenty to love here, as Action-Comedy is a real crowd pleaser.

We meet Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling), a veteran stuntman who gets injured tragically on-set and the road to recovery is a tough one. He is in a looming relationship with Jody Merino (Emily Blunt), an aspiring Director and Camerawoman, but they become estranged as he takes time to heal and survive.  Fast-forward ahead, Jody lands the gig of a lifetime directing her first Blockbuster and after pondering if he’d ever want to do stunts again, he’s all in for Jody, but more so hoping to rekindle their romance.

Love often is about timing, and while Jody has some resentment towards Colt, she cannot deny her feelings for him as well. But she must remain focused on the task at hand – making her debut film. Some hurdles are thrown in their way, the star of the film Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) goes missing and Producer Gail Meyer (an unrecognizable Hannah Waddington) tasks Colt with finding her leading man.  Colt then finds himself framed and wanted for a crime he didn’t commit, with a target on his back to boot, all while trying to win Jody‘s heart as her star stuntman.

THE FALL GUY truly is about the true unsung heroes, the stuntworkers, who seldom have the light shone their way. This Film however is it. Leitch, having once been a stuntman knows this best and employs his background here to great heights.  The level of precision and difficulty in the death-defying acts seen here are purely remarkable and he crafts here what is the truest sense of a Blockbuster.  There’s something in the mix for everyone – excitement, romance and laughter.

Ryan Gosling is peak ‘Ryan Gosling’ here, embodying charisma, energy and charm as our leading man, playing off of Emily Blunt just perfectly.  While at the edge of our seats in these chase and fight sequences, we manage to root for them.  We admire the resistance from leaning into guy-saves-girl tropes. Jody is her own person, with her own career and opinions, and doesn’t need saving.

Whether you’re planning a friends’ night out or family movie day, this is the one.  And please stay for the Credits!

THE FALL GUY is one of the year’s first true big cinematic events and totally worth the watch.  Universal Pictures Canada release THE FALL GUY in theatres May 3, 2024.