The Film Buffa Reviews: 5 things to know about David Leitch’s ‘The Fall Guy’
Is it stupid fun, or just stupid? Read on.
There’s something uniquely enjoyable about watching a movie that knows exactly what it is, wearing its identity on its sleeve. There’s no misdirection from the trailer to the follow through of the feature, and the audience is ready. David Leitch’s The Fall Guy knows what it wants to do and doesn’t shy away from the premise of its trailer, but does it really have a plot or point? Yes and no. More importantly, is the result any good?
First, here’s the basic spin of the plot. A stuntman is in love with a director, taking a job on her first film despite being bruised, both literally and figuratively, by an accident 18 months earlier. But he’s sent on a wild goose chase, looking for the seemingly lost movie star and seeing the person he cares the most about being wrapped up into a dangerous adventure.
Let’s hide the obvious thoughts on the latest from the director of Hobbs and Shaw and Bullet Train for a few paragraphs, and dish 5 things to know about this new action comedy starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt.
#5 The leads sell the shit out of it
Credit Gosling and Blunt with creating genuine chemistry, and chewing every bit of comedic meat from the bone of an uneven script. Half of the movie just wants to let us watch the leads flirt and fall into danger, while the other half tries to drum up a pale imitation of a James Bond meets Entourage cinematic illusion that’s like a watered down cocktail. Gosling makes a lot out of a little as the perennial stuntman, while Blunt shines brighter as a filmmaker trying to separate fact and fiction from love.
They go for it, and show their movie star clout in a film that needs it.
#4 It’s too long
Before the room went dark, I could tell you that 126 minutes of an action comedy that didn’t really have a premise is hard to justify. As smitten as I was with the two leads dancing around their careers and romance like they’re romancing a stone, the tooth got long. As the talented Courtney Howard put it, there’s great moments and then really flat moments. That’s paraphrasing, but the point touches directly upon a script that spends too much time with a useless over-actioned subplot.
Here’s the thing: Hannah Waddingham is a hoot in anything, but her entire existence in this movie drags it to sleaze town.
#3 More Duke, please!
Winston Duke is a pleasure to watch in any single movie he takes part in. He’s stolen scenes from movie stars before such as the late Chadwick Boseman and Mark Wahlberg, he holds form with Gosling as a stunt coordinator and longtime friend. In one of the movie’s best moments, Duke literally shouts out movies with a lot of fight scenes as he’s kicking ass. He’s a dominant performer who should have been the centerpiece of the film instead of the sidekick.
#2 Stunt tribute left me wanting a documentary
Leitch is a former stuntman, and made this film as a tribute to stunt performers and crews. The first few minutes of the film show real stunts from past Universal movies, including the cooler-than-cool bus fight scene from Nobody. The production company and stunt cathedral, 87 North, pops up early and often in the film.
Those parts are more interesting than any of the nonsense that the movie dips into. All of that made me yearn for a documentary about stunts and the people who do them. No offense, Mr. Gosling, but I want to get to know the guy who really jumped off that one thing onto another thing.
#1 Half of the comedy actually lands and the plot is a mess
Look, I don’t go into movies like The Fall Guy looking for an early year Oscar sleeper, but something coherent would be nice. Fast & Furious deleted a little plot with each entry, but kept making money. One of the best things about Leitch’s film is that it doesn’t promise or tease sequels. But Fall Guy sways too far into stupid instead of hanging around the “stupid fun” zone. Yes, there is a difference.
Stupid fun is one of Leitch’s previous films, a spin-off from the F&F series, Hobbs and Shaw. It was all ridiculous, sexy as ever cinema fun. Stupid and direct. The Fall Guy suffers from such an incoherent base that its stakes are hollow, and only half of the humor lands. Comedy occurs more in spurts instead of anything resembling consistency. It gets more messy as the film gets older.
So, what’s the verdict? As much as I want to say Blunt-the most physical, action wise, star in her class at the moment-does her best to save this movie with her wit and charisma, I can’t tell you to rush out and see this movie. Is it worth the cold, hard cash of a movie night out? It ultimately depends on your adoration of Gosling, Blunt, Duke, Waddingham, or the great Stephanie Hsu.
It’s not easy to dish the movie a firm rotten or fresh rating due to the positive factors in play with the more uneven elements, but I will end the review with this kind of rating. Forget good and bad for a moment, and consider a different form of grading system for movies. Three categories: go see it right now, see it at some point but you can wait, or avoid it like a room full of farts.
I’d place The Fall Guy firmly in tier two. See it, but feel free to wait if you’re sitting there unsure about the leap. It did some things right, but the ultimate feeling was a letdown. Thanks for reading, and have a great night.