A Stuntman Gets into Some Off-Camera Action

Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt in 
"The Fall Guy"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

For big-budget films, one of the most important aspects is having a committed stunt team.  They’re the ones who make the intricate movements of the characters possible.  As viewers, we sit there thinking to ourselves that there’s no way we could ever pull off such death-defying work, but when you see it up there on the screen being performed by people who stare danger in the face as soon the cameras roll, you’re left in awe that such feats have been captured.

The work of stunt teams is the basis of director David Leitch’s new comedy, “The Fall Guy,” which is based on Glen A. Larson’s TV show of the same name, which ran from 1981-1986.  With Leitch’s typical flair for action, he brings us on an energetic ride that’s loaded with thrills, wit, and a superb connection between its two stars.

Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is a stuntman whose latest job has him working with his ex-girlfriend, Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), who’s making a sci-fi action film as her directorial debut.  When the film’s lead actor, Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) goes missing, Colt is tasked with finding him before the over-budget production gets shut down.

Gosling gives a humorous and kinetic performance as the talented stuntman, once again displaying his movie-star charm with ease as he swaggers his way through the memorable dialogue and big-budget set pieces.  Gosling displays a ruggedness and confidence that’s faultless throughout, giving us a protagonist who’s comically endearing.  His work in the past has shown that he possesses equal talents with action, comedy, and romance, and Gosling proves once again that he can pretty much shine in any kind of genre.

Gosling and Blunt have wonderful romantic and comedic chemistry.  Whenever they interact, they display a bond that’s both funny and heartfelt, giving you an idea of the loving relationship that they shared before the events of the movie.  Even when their characters are at odds with each other, Gosling and Blunt exhibit a connection that’s as fiery as the pyrotechnics on Jody’s movie set.

The screenplay by Drew Pierce does well in establishing the two lead characters and the bond that they used to have and are trying to rebuild.  He sets them up in such a way that makes you want to get to know them more, and he does this with some well-placed meta humor.  And, although that aspect of Pearce’s humor doesn’t always hit the mark, it still works well in other places.  One of the best examples of this is when he mixes meta humor that’s both verbal and visual during a phone conversation between Colt and Jody that uses the split-screen technique in a clever way that highlights their emotional distance from each other.  Besides the romance, there’s an enticing conspiracy plot that has plenty of excitement as you wait to see how it unfolds.  Each set piece that Pearce brings us delivers on the enjoyable insanity of the situation, terrifically melding a likable lead character with a comically dangerous scenario.

Leitch, who has extensive experience as a stuntman, is the perfect fit for a film such as this, creating a love letter to both stunt teams and moviemaking.  He frames his action with the help of lensing from Jonathan Sela and editing by Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir, both of whom have been frequent collaborators with Leitch.  With Sela’s lensing and Ronaldsdóttir’s editing, the action is captured in such a way where it maintains the thrills, but are still comprehensible when it comes to knowing where everything and everyone is and what’s going on.  While all of the action scenes are fun, one of the most memorable is a fight sequence in a neon-lit nightclub, complete with some humorously trippy visuals.  Through this talented trio, they also offer a couple of eye-catching long takes that highlight the depth of the details of the film sets.  These extended takes allow us to see all of the comings and goings of the people involved with the film production, bringing us into the hectic nature of such environments.

When it comes to “The Fall Guy,” you won’t need air conditioning in the theater because this movie is as breezy as it gets.

Grade: A-