Stunt performers put their lives on the line every day, and yet there’s still no Oscar for best stunt work. Tell me how that makes sense? The Fall Guy gives these unsung heroes their moment in the spotlight. Much like their line of work, this movie is a bit of a bumpy ride, but gets by on exciting action and Gosling’s charismatic lead performance.
Director David Leitch - a former stuntman and stunt coordinator - knows his way around an action sequence. He’s now had plenty of experience behind and in front of the camera, which shines here. It’s not on the level of something like John Wick or Mission: Impossible, but the action is creatively orchestrated, well shot, and most importantly, fun to watch. With the film itself being centred around a stunt man, it was great seeing many of the stunts take place on film sets, giving us a look at how physically demanding the job is.
Ryan Gosling is in an era of having a blast with his roles, and brings that joyous charisma to his character here. The movie sometimes tries too hard to get a joke across, but even when the writing fails to deliver, Gosling’s delivery and comedic timing prevails. His awkward yet passionate chemistry with Emily Blunt is the heart of the film. Watching the two of them flirt and snip at one another with insults is so much fun. Winston Duke (who’s quickly becoming one of my favourite actors) is great in his supporting role, sharing strong chemistry and hilarious banter with Gosling in their scenes together.
So, the action is cool and the cast is solid. What exactly didn’t work? You may ask. As much fun as this movie has on a scene to scene basis, the plot is a mess, trying to juggle a few different genres, but dropping some of the balls in the process. The story chugs along, struggling to pick up the momentum it needs to be as engaging as the other elements. It’s awkward feeling and the pacing is impacted because of it. There are also a lot of really great lines used in the trailers that were absent in the movie, but weren’t replaced with anything else. This left me scratching my head wondering why in the world they were scrapped.
The Fall Guy gives stunt performers their long overdue moment in the spotlight, hopefully nudging the Academy enough to add an Oscar category in the near future. The unfocused plot derails some of the enjoyment, but if you’re just here for Gosling having a blast and some thrilling action, I’m happy to say the film delivers on both fronts.
3.5/5
Review by: Benjamin Garrett