The Fall Guy Review: A Romantic Comedy Packed With Action

The Fall Guy is pure adrenaline from start to finish as it shines a light on the work stunt teams put in, with some romance and comedy mixed in.

There have been a lot of romantic comedies, some of which stick out more than others. The Fall Guy is one that is sure to become a classic, not only due to the incredible on screen chemistry between Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling, but because it is also an action movie with a dash of mystery. This might sound like too many genres for one movie, but trust us, it works.

When stuntman Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) gets hurt filming a movie, he cuts off everyone in his life — including camera girl Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt) with whom he had a hot and heavy romance on set. At the start of the film he talks about her as the love of his life, however he doesn’t want her to see him at his lowest. 

A year after shutting her out he is asked to once again return to work as a stunt double for Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), this time on her directorial debut. He had been Ryder’s double for years before his accident and they need someone who can handle the pressures of a big film (that has a trailer releasing in Hall H of Comic Con!).

Colt wants to make sure that Jody’s first movie isn’t a flop, so he reluctantly agrees, but it doesn’t take long before he is thrust into the center of a mystery. Can he solve that and win back the love of his life, all while performing some of the most dangerous stunts in film? 

The main reason this movie is so great is because Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling have fantastic chemistry. Not only are they individually incredible actors, but together they are completely believable as ex-lovers who are navigating a broken relationship and trying to remain professional at the same time.

The two are hilarious, but also know how to tug at your heartstrings. One scene in particular, a split screen sequence, stands out as a great emotional and comedic moment in the movie.

Because this is a movie about the stunt part of the film industry, there is a lot of focus on incredible stunt sequences. It should come as no surprise that for the most part, The Fall Guy is an adrenaline rush with massive explosions, high speed chases, and people being set on fire. Everything is pushed to the limits within this movie, and often intensified because they are on a movie set.

A movie within a movie might seem challenging, and it probably was to film, however it really gives The Fall Guy a unique look and feel. It is interesting seeing the behind the scenes of certain shots, and just how much work goes into stunts.

Winston Duke plays the stunt coordinator who is not only a good friend of Colt’s, but a wonderful addition to the cast. Hannah Waddingham who is the producer is also fantastic… of course.

The way that this movie shines a light on stunt teams and what they do for films, how they literally risk their lives to give the audience entertainment, and to keep the leads safe. Impressive is an understatement.

The Fall Guy touches on how this is not yet an awards category at the Oscars, something that many in the industry have been pushing for for years. This movie is great in its own right. It is hilarious and fun and packed with insane stunts, but what it does for the stunt workers is a nice icing on the cake. 

Aaron Taylor-Johnson might not be in The Fall Guy all that much, but when he is, he is pure perfection. Playing a full of himself actor who prides himself on telling everyone he does his own stunts, treating Colt like crap in the process, means that it is easy to hate him.

Most people would never have said that he and Ryan Gosling look alike, but how their hair and makeup are styled allow viewers to see the similarities, which also gives them a peek at the ins and outs of the film industry. 

Ryan and Aaron have some of the funniest, and most intense, scenes together. It really is a joy to watch them on screen together. Who doesn’t want to see Ryan mimic someone who absolutely deserves the shade?

In the mix of this romantic comedy, there is a mystery. It delivers suspense with some fun, yet predictable, twists and turns. The blend of RomCom and Mystery is entertaining and one you might not think would work, but it really does in The Fall Guy. This is largely in part because of Ryan Gosling, who perfectly masters both sides of the fence. 

Just recently in Barbie we have seen him as the pining heartthrob who would do just about anything for the girl he loves. While this role is very different, it is similar in some ways to Ken. Gosling has proven himself time and time again as an extremely talented movie star, so you don’t need to watch The Fall Guy to see that. But you should, because it is a great movie.

There are already a million reasons to see this movie, but if we can add one more it would be the needledrops. This soundtrack is absolute fire. It is safe to say that The Fall Guy features the best use of Taylor Swift’s All Too Well — we dare you not to cry. But that isn’t the only perfectly used song.

Each song is placed in a sequence that it fits like a puzzle with. The audience at SXSW was singing along during multiple shots and would likely all agree that the songs elevate the scenes they are a part of.

The Fall Guy is a love letter to the crew behind the films we cinephiles adore. It highlights the hard work that goes into getting the perfect shot, and the fact that stunt people put their lives at risk every day. At its core it is one of the best modern romantic comedies, but it is so much more than that.

Because it takes place on a movie set they are able to absolutely go for it when it comes to the stunts during certain scenes, but that doesn’t mean the stunts outside of the film set are any weaker. Everything is dialed up to eleven, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling deliver unforgettable performances. David Leitch was the best choice to direct this movie as he knows how to do an action movie. This is the perfect blend of multiple genres. Viewers will go from laughing until their cheeks hurt to hanging off the edge of their seat. The Fall Guy is one you won’t forget anytime soon. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

NEXT: Monkey Man Review

About The Fall Guy

He’s a stuntman, and like everyone in the stunt community, he gets blown up, shot, crashed, thrown through windows and dropped from the highest of heights, all for our entertainment. And now, fresh off an almost career-ending accident, this working-class hero has to track down a missing movie star, solve a conspiracy and try to win back the love of his life while still doing his day job. What could possibly go right?

From real life stunt man and director David Leitch, the blockbuster director of Bullet Train, Deadpool 2, Atomic Blonde and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw and the producer of John Wick, Nobody and Violent Night, comes his most personal film yet. A new hilarious, hard-driving, all-star apex-action thriller and love letter to action movies and the hard-working and under-appreciated crew of people who make them: The Fall Guy.

Oscar® nominee Ryan Gosling (Barbie, La La Land, Drive) stars as Colt Seavers, a battle-scarred stuntman who, having left the business a year earlier to focus on both his physical and mental health, is drafted back into service when the star of a mega-budget studio movie—being directed by his ex, Jody Moreno, played by Golden Globe winner Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer, A Quiet Place films, Sicario)—goes missing.

While the film’s ruthless producer (Emmy winner Hannah Waddingham; Ted Lasso), maneuvers to keep the disappearance of star Tom Ryder (Golden Globe winner Aaron Taylor-Johnson; Bullet Train) a secret from the studio and the media, Colt performs the film’s most outrageous stunts while trying (with limited success) to charm his way back into Jody’s good graces. But as the mystery around the missing star deepens, Colt will find himself ensnared in a sinister, criminal plot that will push him to the edge of a fall more dangerous than any stunt.

The Fall Guy hits theaters on May 3rd.

90%

90%

Action-Packed

The perfect combintion of Romantic Comedy and Action. A true love letter to the film industry and the stunt teams that make it what it is.

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