Simultaneously a stunt-filled action comedy and a return to big-budget romantic comedies, led by two irrepressibly charming actors (Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt), this week’s The Fall Guyis the kind of date-movie summer blockbuster that felt a lot more common just a decade or two ago.
The movie follows a stunt man (Gosling) who’s coaxed out of retirement to work on the directorial debut of his ex-girlfriend (Blunt), then gets pulled into a conspiracy that threatens to shut the movie down.
A big part of the movie’s success comes from the authenticity of the team behind it, and their passion for the subject matter.
Directed by former Brad Pitt stunt double David Leitch, and co-produced by John Wick production company 87North Productions, the movie is an unabashed love letter to the art of stunt work and the difficult, often thankless job stunt performers have in Hollywood — as the movie points out, there is still no Oscar for stunt work.
The Fall Guy works the craft of stunts into its narrative, its visual approach (longer takes and bigger falls), and its set-pieces (including a fight that directly involves stunt equipment), all with great effect.