The Fall Guy
[4K/blu-ray]
What the hell happened with this movie? It flopped colossally and no one knows why. Was it marketed incorrectly? That seems to be the only explanation, because The Fall Guy looked so dumb that it somehow elevated the collective consciousness. But, sometimes, Rotten Tomatoes actually does what it’s supposed to, and a movie gets a second chance. Is Fall Guy a cult classic now? I’m not sure. Boy, am I rambling.
Look, I wasn’t even going to give this movie a chance, but I’m glad I did. There are just too many things Fall Guy does right. Hollywood loves a movie about Hollywood. Smart audiences, however, know better, and know that the best versions of these movies make fun of Hollywood. THOSE are the ones worth watching, and boy, does Fall Guy deliver in that sense. Sure, there’s a cool murder-mystery behind it all, and great stunts, but it all plays in the context of a movie production involving a well-meaning director in the middle of a production that’s gotten out of control. It’s clearly mocking THAT blockbuster movie and I love every second of it when it does. Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling are also adorable when they’re on screen together (even though it’s hard to look at her new face), and their chemistry somehow, miraculously, works. Well done, casting!
With a plot that’s actually interesting, and production that looks good, Fall Guy also benefits from some truly smart moments, funny dialogue, hilarious situations, a decent soundtrack, and complicated character dynamics. Yes, it’s not all home runs and the movie drags just a tiny bit (maybe it’s because I watched the extended cut?), but there’s just way too much good stuff in this movie for it to go by unnoticed like this. Hollywood, you did this movie dirty. Come on, folks! Fall Guy is one of the best movies of the year!
