How can it be that the Academy hasn’t created an Oscar category specifically for Hollywood’s stunt community in this day and age? It seems confusing when movies like Mad Max: Fury Road and John Wick: Chapter 4 push the limits of exceptional stunt work. Fortunately, The Fall Guy, a romantic comedy/action blockbuster directed by David Leitch and based on the Lee Majors TV series from the 1980s, serves as a fitting reminder of its essential presence. And it does so while having a great time supporting its argument.
Leitch, a former stunt performer, portrays this as the stuff that movie buffs would like. It continues in the same self-satirical vein as Bowfinger, Tropic Thunder, and Babylon, offering an intimate look at the inner workings of Hollywood humor. Almost all of the scenes are masterfully peppered with ironic, meta jokes about the filmmaking process. Nonetheless, each frame still exudes warmth and affection. Every stunt sequence pays death-defying homage to the men and women who master their art, whether it’s a daring helicopter jump, a sophisticated fight scene in a neon-lit nightclub, or a pyrotechnic vehicle pursuit across a beach.
The dynamic duo of Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling is what makes the movie so enjoyable.
The mystery-noir plot, which takes a cue from the Nice Guys, centers on an egotistical superstar named Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson, brilliant), a shady producer named Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham steals a scene), and a movie within a movie called “Metalstorm” (imagine Mad Max meets Cowboys & Aliens). After a drink that has been tainted, references to Notting Hill are featured in an action-packed rabbit-hole of disastrous occurrences that include hallucinating unicorns and a will-they-won’t-they relationship. There are plenty of jokes and needle-drops to keep you interested, even in scenes where the thin plot seems to be stretched too thin. The writing is hardly going to win any prizes for creativity.
The dynamic duo of Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt makes The Fall Guy genuinely entertaining. Gosling, who is still feeling a lot of energy after his Kenergy, has become an expert at portraying the endearing misfit. His cunning smile and deft comebacks demonstrate why he is at the top of his game. Blunt, who is accustomed to performing stunts, is equally entertaining and delivers a great line with a deadpan delivery. Would you like to witness her hysterically mock Gosling as he is made to repeatedly perform the same fireball trick? She has everything covered. Leitch plays to their talents, and when the two work together, they conjure up some classic, feel-good romantic charm—a perfect summertime film.