It’s been interesting watching the artistic trajectory for directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch following their big break on the scene with John Wick. Stahelski continued with the John Wick franchise, tapping more and more into influences ranging from Hong Kong action movies to silent Buster Keaton slapstick comedies, which has garnered quite a bit of acclaim. Meanwhile, David Leitch takes a considerably more lighter approach to his projects, opting more for overtly comedic genre fare – Atomic Blonde being a notable exception – with stuff like Deadpool 2 and Bullet Train, less Buster Keaton, more Loony Tunes. And I’ve noticed Leitch has often been considered the “lesser” of the two by some film enthusiasts due to having a less serious minded approach.
However, I’d argue he is just as skilled of a craftsman as his peer and 87North (formerly 87 Eleven) collaborator. I’ve enjoyed all his films thus far, even if some can be more sleight than others. In the case of his latest film, The Fall Guy, which is written by Drew Pearce, loosely adapting the 80s TV show, it is not only Leitch’s best film, it feels like the kind of film he has been building up to for his entire career as a filmmaker, much like in the way John Wick: Chapter 4 was to Chad Stahelski. Everything from his pop sensibilities, crowd pleasing tendencies, screwball characters, and of course, the emphasis on stunts is on full display like they’ve never been before.
Plot wise, we follow Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling), a Hollywood stunt man who has gone into retirement following a stunt gone wrong. In the process, he loses touch with Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), a camera operator and old fling. But things change when he is called to return to the stunt game on Jody’s directorial debut, a big sci-fi tentpole. He agrees, but once he travels to join production in Sydney, Australia, working under his stunt coordinator Dan Tucker (Winston Duke), he finds out she had not specifically asked for him, and still resents him for essentially ghosting her and leaving. Meanwhile, Colt is one day asked to check in on the film’s star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), who hasn’t been on set in a bit. He ends up following a rabbit hole that leads him to discovering a dead body, and uncovers a conspiracy that has placed him in the center of it.
There is more to the plot, but I’d rather not get into it. Not just because seeing the layers slowly get pulled back is part of the fun, but also, the plot is really just a vehicle for the film to indulge in basically two things. One is being a delightful romantic comedy between Cole and Jody. Gosling and Blunt have terrific chemistry, they bounce off each other beautifully, and Pearce really nails the screwball, Hawksian banter whenever the two share the screen. And second, the film also works as a total unabashed love letter to filmmaking, and in particular, the often unsung heroes who work in stunts, laying their bodies on the line for the perfect shot. There’s even an amusing bit where someone asks Colt is stunt performers get Oscars, to which he replies no, and while the film holds back on doing so, I can feel the film’s urge to break the fourth wall and have Colt stare right at us, being in awe of the ridiculous notion that stunts have somehow still not been considered worthy of such recognition. It would have been a well earned fourth wall break.
Obviously, the action and stunt work in the film is spectacular. It’s obvious a lot of care and effort was put in place from everyone involved to really put their money where their mouth is. Second unit director/stunt designer Chris O’Hara and stunt coordinator Keir Beck really pull off some stellar work, much of which we get to see behind-the-scenes footage of during the credits. It’s the film’s way of saying, “look, we really mean what we say, these movies are nothing without stunt guys.” And it helps that it feels more earnest, given that it’s coming from David Leitch, who got his start as a stunt man, and also wrote and starred in his early love letter to the action film industry with the 2005 mockumentary Confessions Of An Action Star – a film that would make an amusing double feature with this. Dude’s always been a goofball.
Occasionally the film can get a little cutesy with its meta gags, but otherwise, it’s often very clever and effortlessly carried by its cast. It’s the kind of movie that made Hollywood what it is, big blockbusters with charismatic movie stars, who can elevate even relatively hollow material into something that actually resonates. The kind of movies that Hollywood rarely makes these days. And while the film is still an adaptation of pre-existing intellectual property, an 80s TV show (and don’t worry if you’re a fan of the show, the film remembers to throw you a bone), it retains the spirit of the kind of films that would have reigned supreme in the days before the big comic book boom that we’re still in.
I was thoroughly impressed with The Fall Guy, in case it wasn’t obvious enough already. It’s a charming action-comedy blockbuster with all the spectacle, romance, and comedy that you would want, along with endearing characters that are very easy to like and root for. It’s an irreverent and loving homage to an industry that definitely has its fair share of problems, but is full of people who are willing to put in the work and sacrifice all the blood, sweat, and tears to make each movie the best possible movie it can be. Stunts have often been the most thankless role in Hollywood, and it really wasn’t until recently, arguably with the success of the John Wick movies, that recognition of the importance and artistry of stunts shifted from niche action junkie conversations to mainstream film discourse, and this film celebrates that world in all its weird and amazing glory. It’s a joyous, crowd pleasing film that had me grinning from ear to ear for practically the entire running time. It’s not just David Leitch’s best film, cementing his status as a genuine action auteur, it is easily one of the cinematic highlights of the year for me.
The Fall Guy is now out in theaters.