Ryan Gosling takes a detour from his usual boy-next-door roles to play Ken on steroids in The Fall Guy, a rollicking action comedy extravaganza helmed by David Leitch, a former stuntman who knows the stunt world like the back of his hand. The Fall Guy reminds us that sometimes the real heroes are the ones behind the scenes, even if they are dodging bullets and outrunning runaway trailers.
Teaming up with the ever-charming Emily Blunt, Gosling dives headfirst into a whirlwind of hilarity and adrenaline that makes you question if gravity is even a thing anymore. Leitch, the man behind Atomic Blonde and Bullet Train, throws in everything but the kitchen sink – explosive action sequences, a film-within-a-film scenario, and a dash of romance so sweet it could give you diabetes.
Enter Colt Seavers, played with a wink and a nod by Gosling, a stunt double extraordinaire living in the shadow of the egotistical actor Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who deserves an award for his shamelessly over-the-top performance). Colt's job? Making Tom look good while risking life and limb, all without so much as a pat on the back.
But when a stunt goes south, Colt finds himself nursing a broken back and a shattered dream of sipping margaritas on a beach with Jody (Emily Blunt), his crush and fellow camera handler. Eighteen months after the accident, Colt gets a second shot when he's called back into action to save Jody's directorial debut.
Sydney becomes the backdrop for Colt's epic comeback, where he must dodge bullets, fend off sword-wielding actresses, and navigate a conspiracy involving drugs and crime lords. With the clock ticking and the fate of Jody's film hanging in the balance, Colt morphs into a one-man wrecking crew, ready to take on anything and everything, even if it means facing off hired goons on a dumpster on a joyride through the streets.
Sure, the plot might stretch the boundaries of believability, but who cares when you're having this much fun? Gosling's charisma alone is worth the price of popcorn, and when you throw in Blunt's irresistible charm and a supporting cast that includes a French-speaking guard dog named Jean-Claude, you know you're in for a wild ride.
At its core, The Fall Guy is more than just a movie; it's a love letter to stunt performers everywhere, a reminder that behind every breathtaking action sequence is a team of unsung heroes risking their lives for our entertainment. It may have a message to deliver but The Fall Guy never loses sight of its primary goal: to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. And while there’s a lot of hat-tipping to action classics like Rocky, Fast and the Furious and Star Wars, there’s a funny joke about Johnny Depp and Amber Heard that takes the cake.
