Director David Leitch’s latest project, The Fall Guy, may have just given a major boost to the ongoing push to have stunt performers recognized at the Academy Awards. Loosely based on its 1980s television namesake starring Lee Majors, the flick is a thrilling tribute to cinema’s unsung heroes: its daredevils. With its greatest-hits collection of Hollywood stunts, self-referential humor, lighthearted romance, and epic needle drops, the film makes for an irresistibly fun time at the movies.
Known for his work on some of most electrifying action films of the past decade like John Wick and Nobody, Leitch affectionately describes The Fall Guy as his “love letter” to stunt crews and summer blockbusters. Tailor-made for those who were mesmerized by the high-octane thrills of classics like Speed and True Lies, the film feels like having a front row seat at the Indiana Jones show at Walt Disney World — except this time, the spectacle is led by two of the world’s biggest stars.
Helmed by A-listers Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, The Fall Guy follows the adventures of Colt Seavers (Gosling). Seavers doubles for action star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson, rumored to be the next James Bond) and shares an intermittent romance with camerawoman Jody Moreno (Blunt). The film captivates audiences from the start with a single, continuous shot reminiscent of the iconic opening in Robert Altman’s The Player, climaxing with Seavers sustaining a harrowing injury during a death-defying stunt. The brilliantly executed sequence not only introduces the movie’s main characters and essential plot elements but also sets the tone for what’s to come.
Eighteen months later, we find Colt Seavers disheveled and disconnected, having ghosted Moreno and now working as a valet at a local Mexican restaurant. His Hollywood hiatus comes to a screeching halt when, after tinkering with a pedantic patron’s sports car, he receives an unexpected call from Ryder’s producer, Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham). She reveals that Moreno is directing her debut film, a space-cowboy epic titled Metalstorm, and wants him on the production in Australia. Donning a satin “Miami Vice Stunt Team” jacket, Colt jets to the land down under, only to discover that Jody never requested his presence and is still seething over their breakup.
Leitch is fully aware that he has captured lightning in a bottle with Gosling and Blunt. Their on-screen chemistry is a welcomed throwback to the heyday of romantic comedies that lost their footing as younger audiences veered towards asexuality. In one of the film’s most uproarious moments, the duo hilariously intertwines their own tumultuous relationship with the backstory of Metalstorm’s characters, much to the amusement of the onlooking crew.
The film hits its stride with a series of enthralling sequences sparked by Ryder’s disappearance from the production. Determined not to let his crush’s directorial debut falter, Seavers embarks on a frantic search across Sydney for the actor, plunging headfirst into a labyrinth of drug rings, samurai swords, and murder. While a comedic interlude featuring an inadvertently high Ryan Gosling slightly overstays its welcome, Leitch masterfully executes every action genre trope during the riveting pursuit. The chase includes everything from daring leaps and intense car chases to exploding boats, helicopter showdowns, and even a crotch-biting, bullet-dodging dog. (Spoiler alert: Fortunately for the pup, his aggressor’s aim was far worse than the governor of South Dakota’s.)
The Fall Guy succeeds, in part, by resisting overreach, despite boasting a stellar cast. It’s not “plot heavy,” a point Gosling’s character makes in the movie, cautioning “you lose the audience if there’s too much.” It also avoids the pitfalls of self-parody that marred some ’90s meta comedies, as well the obnoxious nods to niche online audiences that tanked Argylle. Here, the jokes—like a jab at A.I.—smartly tie into the film-within-a-film and the protagonists’ own predicaments, providing crowd-pleasing laughs beyond satire for industry insiders. The inclusive approach not only makes for a better viewing experience, it also supports the film’s loftier ambitions.
Leitch, a stuntman turned director, is determined to reignite audiences’ passion for cinema by offering a behind-the-scenes look at movie magic. In less capable hands, The Fall Guy could have been a disaster, akin to a magic act that loses its allure once you know the trick. However, this backstage journey is not only entertaining, it deepens our appreciation for the intricate craftsmanship involved. His vision is skillfully realized, thanks in no small measure to the magnetism of its leads and his dedication to dazzling audiences with the pyrotechnic and acrobatic feats that defined the genre before the industry’s shift to digital wizardry.
Consequently, The Fall Guy emerges as a quintessential popcorn flick, crafted with love for those who adore movies by a filmmaker who cherishes the medium. For the ultimate viewing experience, watch it on the largest screen possible and be sure to stay for the credits.