Multiverse of Color’s Vanessa Young enjoyed the opportunity to attend Universal Pictures’ The Fall Guy (directed by David Leitch) screening, Monday, April 8.
If you spot a movie poster or trailer with Ryan Gosling smirking in it, chances are high that you’re about to have a good time. The Fall Guy isn’t just a Gosling sideshow, it’s a hilarious film that takes “movies about making movies” to its highest potential.
Two hours of incredible stunt work, clever jokes, fantastic camera work, perfectly timed physical humor, and top-notch acting from Gosling, Emily Blunt, Hannah Waddingham, Winston Duke, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
A freak accident leaves Gosling’s character, Colt Seavers, injured and out of the stunt game for a while, which throws a wrench in his romance with Blunt’s character, Jody Moreno. He gets pulled into being a stunt guy again by Gail Meyer, played brilliantly by Waddingham.
A series of increasingly funny and suspicious events happen to our guy, Colt, and we realize he’s set to take the fall for something much bigger than him.
For a movie about making a movie, it really is an entertaining time, with thought-provoking commentary on the exploitation of Hollywood workers that aren’t superstars like Tom Ryder (Taylor-Johnson). From the lack of care on-set to digital theft by way of A.I., the movie had a sharp critique on Hollywood’s increased laziness for profit buried amidst the jokes.
There’s a giggle-inducing, surprise cameo that directly results from the third act that I won’t spoil here, but it is a clever end cap on the aforementioned digital theft.
The Fall Guy is a perfect date-night movie, with a funny or thought-provoking moment almost every minute. Blunt’s characterization is deeply human and relatable, with Gosling eating up his dialogue effortlessly. This is a repeat-watch movie.