The Fall Guy is headed towards a $28 million extravaganza at the box office this weekend. A $10.8 million opening day for the David Leitch movie has it slightly below the $30 million projections for the movie. But, The Fall Guy should easily clear Challengers and a surprise return of some Jedi to the movie theater with The Phantom Menace. A big reason this romantic comedy-tinged action flick has so much attention on it is the pairing of Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. Both actors have acknowledged in promotional appearances that they played a part in last summer’s biggest two hits.
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But, The Fall Guy is not Barbie or Oppenheimer. Nor was it billed to be by Universal or their recent presence at CinemaCon. The summer season is still in a fledgling state. Heavy-hitters are on the way with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Inside Out 2, Deadpool & Wolverine and more. So, there’s plenty of time for the string of massive hits that gets movie fans and critics alike declaring “the movies are back” like they’re Magic Johnson on Twitter. (Go look it up, hysterical stuff!) In the meantime, an enjoyable action comedy is out in theaters now, if you’re interested.
How Good Is The Fall Guy?
So, the question remains, is The Fall Guy worth a trip to the local cineplex? Well, for our Patrick Cavanaugh, the answer is yes. And, especially so if you love the magic that goes into making films. The Fall Guy is basically a love letter to the stunt performers who help the big wild sequences we all repost on social media ad-nauseum into real life. Appreciation for that talent, love for Gosling and Blunt as movie stars, and your affinity for David Leitch are going to determine your mileage on this slightly throwback affair.
“The Fall Guy serves as a showcase of the talents that have made Gosling and Blunt, as well as Taylor-Johnson, Waddhingham, and Duke, such sought-after performers,” he argues. “As proven in a number of other films by Leitch, the comedy is only barely elevated above low-hanging and obvious jokes, but the entire cast of Fall Guy fully sells the material to still make it charming. Whether it be the more action-oriented encounters, the romantic sparring, or the attempt to uncover what really happened to Ryder, the entire cast makes the most out of every situation and fully sells it with delight and authenticity.”
What Is The Fall Guy About?
Universal teases their latest dance with Gosling: “He’s a stuntman, and like everyone in the stunt community, he gets blown up, shot, crashed, thrown through windows and dropped from the highest of heights, all for our entertainment. And now, fresh off an almost career-ending accident, this working-class hero has to track down a missing movie star, solve a conspiracy and try to win back the love of his life while still doing his day job. What could possibly go right?”
“From real life stunt man and director David Leitch, the blockbuster director of Bullet Train, Deadpool 2, Atomic Blonde and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw and the producer of John Wick, Nobody and Violent Night, comes his most personal film yet. A new hilarious, hard-driving, all-star apex-action thriller and love letter to action movies and the hard-working and under-appreciated crew of people who make them: The Fall Guy.”
“Oscar® nominee Ryan Gosling (Barbie, La La Land, Drive) stars as Colt Seavers, a battle-scarred stuntman who, having left the business a year earlier to focus on both his physical and mental health, is drafted back into service when the star of a mega-budget studio movie—being directed by his ex, Jody Moreno, played by Golden Globe winner Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer, A Quiet Place films, Sicario)—goes missing.”
“While the film’s ruthless producer (Emmy winner Hannah Waddingham; Ted Lasso), maneuvers to keep the disappearance of star Tom Ryder (Golden Globe winner Aaron Taylor-Johnson; Bullet Train) a secret from the studio and the media, Colt performs the film’s most outrageous stunts while trying (with limited success) to charm his way back into Jody’s good graces. But as the mystery around the missing star deepens, Colt will find himself ensnared in a sinister, criminal plot that will push him to the edge of a fall more dangerous than any stunt.”
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