The Fall Guy

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://talkingfilms.net/the-fall-guy-review-a-thrilling-tribute-to-the-unsung-heroes-of-cinema/ "The Fall Guy emerges as a passionate ode to the brave, audacious stunt doubles, neglected by the film industry for so many decades. David Leitch offers an experience full of action, comedy, romance, and mystery, highlighted by the impressive physical feats performed by the stunt department, mostly without the aid of visual effects. It’s a necessary tribute to those who risk their lives daily to elevate the entertainment power of cinema. Although it occasionally loses focus due to multiple storylines, the movie conveys a clear message about the importance of creative freedom and respect for all involved in filmmaking. With charismatic performances by Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, as well as an energetic score by Dominic Lewis, this celebration of cinema and the hard work behind the scenes is one of this year’s must-see IMAX screenings." Rating: A-

Undoubtedly fun, even if I did want a touch more from 'The Fall Guy'. The cast are great, definitely the film's strongest part in my opinion. Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt are an all-star pair and I enjoyed them both, they worked well together. Hannah Waddingham and Aaron Taylor-Johnson add good showings too. Stephanie Hsu and Winston Duke are involved as well. The story produces entertainment, even if it could've had more flavour added to it. I felt watching that in a few parts it does overstay its welcome ever so slightly, not for a negative impact but enough that I couldn't rate it any higher. All the stunt stuff is fantastic though, as it ought to be given the subject matter. It's solid humour-wise, my favourite bits were actually the background actor interactions; s/o wife's sister guy. Overall, I liked this one. Improvements were possible, though what's there is good enough - an easy watch, to be honest.

This does suffer a bit from having been trailed to death in the cinema, and the story is really pretty thin - but there's some engaging chemistry on display between the two stars as their adventures hot up. "Colt" (Ryan Gosling) is the stunt double for the all action hero "Tom Ryder" (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) whilst sort of dating aspiring director "Jody" (Emily Blunt). An accident on set drives "Colt" away from the business altogether until a random call from producer "Gail" (Hannah Waddingham) informs him that "Jody" is to direct her first film in Australia and he has been especially requested! Of course he hadn't, and when he turns up - much to the surprise of the production, they sort of settle for a truce as he gets back into the swing of rolling cars and jumping from burning wreckage. Where's the star though? Well it transpires that's what "Gail" has really brought him to establish. He's gone AWOL. Not for the first time, "Ryder" is a bit flaky - but all "Colt" need do is track down their wayward pretty boy and then he can escape this embarrassing scenario and go back home. Needless to say, his investigations soon immerse him in a dangerous world of drugs, unicorns and even more car chasing and pyrotechnics. Can he find his charge and maybe even restore his romance? There's precisely no jeopardy with any of that, even if there is quite a daft twist in the tale at the end, but that doesn't matter. This is an excuse for some good looking people to have fun celebrating the life of the movie stuntman. It's good fun to watch with Gosling oozing charisma as we go along on a trip that reveals just a little of the smoke and mirrors that is routinely used to convince us that what we see on screen is real - and that nobody usually dies! Sydney harbour is used to good effect, though I maybe wouldn't have wanted to be the general manager of the opera house when their film crew turned up, and the dialogue is quite a witty mix of hackneyed metaphor, old lines from famous movies and plenty of corn and cheese. ATJ doesn't really feature so much, but when he does he's clearly taking a pop at all things vain and superficial about the cult of image, and Blunt looks like she is enjoying herself as she tries to get her film in the can despite her missing frontman, the wrong kind of sand on the beach and her clearly having the hots for her ex. A good soundtrack helps it all along and though I doubt I'll recall much about this in three months, it's a lively poke at the characters that make movies and I quite enjoyed it.