★★★½
The Fall Guy, directed by David Leitch (Bullet Train) may not have a particularly original plot, but the road to getting there has a few surprises. The script by Drew Pearce (Hotel Artemis) becomes more predictable as the film continues, but this doesn’t prevent it from being a fun and entertaining journey.
Stuntman Colt Seaver (Ryan Gosling) and camera operator Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt) have a casual workplace romance that is about to turn more serious. But when Colt is seriously hurt on the set of the latest film featuring the actor he doubles, Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), his injury causes him to lose confidence in his abilities and himself. After disappearing for a year, Tom’s producer Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham) finds him working as valet. She convinces Colt that Jody needs him for her directorial debut. When he arrives, he discovers this isn’t true, and that in reality Gail needs him to find the missing Tom Ryder to save Jody’s production. Not wanting to see Jody suffer, Colt agrees to get involved, but quickly discovers that the plot is much deeper than he realizes.
There are a lot of expected elements to this script, but it has enough originality and enough twists and turns to keep it entertaining throughout the film. Interestingly, the presumed overall payoff is given early, without making the rest of the film pointless. In fact, it is that payoff that keeps the rest of the story interesting. Gosling and Blunt have excellent chemistry as a hopelessly in-love stuntman and unconfident first-time director, and their comedic timing together is priceless. Winston Duke’s portrayal of Colt’s long-time stunt director is reminiscent of buddy cop comedies in a very positive way.
As a film about a stuntman based on a television show created by Glen A. Larson, who is given proper credit for his concept, there are a large amount of jumps, falls, accidents, and more sugar glass than the floor of a candy factory. There are also explosions, some appropriately set to one of Kiss’s most popular songs. The effects come off without a hitch, except when they’re supposed to look a little fake while Jody is filming. In this, and other moments, the filmmakers do a fantastic job of making fun of certain aspects of the industry without being insulting or condescending, even if one or two stunt scenes run a little longer than they should.
What The Fall Guy lacks in originality it more than makes up for with enthusiasm and entertainment value, right up to and including the bonus scenes in the end credits. Despite several predictable moments, neither the script nor the acting is stunted in any way.
