When it comes to filmmaking, stunt doubles are unsung heroes who make every thrilling action scene work. After all, without their expertise, we wouldn’t have the awesome sequences that wow audiences, as not everyone can be Tom Cruise, kan?
Now comes the rare film that shines the spotlight on these men and women: “The Fall Guy”, directed by David Leitch and based on the 1981 television series of the same name.
The story centres around the misadventures of a stuntman who finds himself embroiled in real-life action: Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling), the seasoned stunt double for film star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson).
When a workplace accident cuts his career short, Seavers is left adrift, until he’s offered the chance to work on the set of newbie film director Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt) – who also happens to be his ex. Jeng jeng jeng.
When Ryder goes missing and our central stuntman finds a dead body in a bathtub, one thing leads to another and it soon becomes evident something is up. And it’s the kind of thing that might require Seavers’ career skills to save his own life.
“The Fall Guy” is a love letter to the hardworking stunt doubles whose work often goes unrecognised compared to their film-star counterparts.
Just watch the montage that plays during the credits and you can see just how much effort goes into ensuring stunts are perfectly and safely executed! It is clear that stuntmen and women really deserve more recognition for their roles, which are often literally death-defying.
The movie also is a lovely tribute to film aficionados, given how it makes light of many tropes in a teasing but good-natured way. You could make a drinking game out of how many times one Hollywood franchise or another is referenced.
To be fair, there’s a lot of stupidity in this movie, but this only makes it all the more entertaining as the cast seems to be well aware of it. There’s a dog named Jean Claude that only responds to French commands, for crying out loud!
Even minor players have their fun moments, with Winston Duke’s character shamelessly calling out the names of action stars as he pulls off their signature fight moves.
Of course, for a film that honours stunt doubles, there are plenty of impressive stunts throughout the course of its two-hour runtime. In fact, “The Fall Guy” holds the Guinness World Record for the most cannon rolls performed in a car, which alone is worth buying a ticket for.
Stunts and hilarity aside, there is also no shortage of good performances, especially from leads Gosling and Blunt.
Gosling, of course, has long had a reputation for having great chemistry with female co-stars, and this is also the case here. He and Blunt are believable as a pair of bickering exes who still feel for each other while having issues to iron out.
Thankfully, the drama that flares up between the two does not derail the plot, and is instead effective in allowing the audience to feel for and understand the characters. Still, it is hilarious how petty they get – let’s just say she sets him on fire multiple times. Legally.
All in all, this is an entertaining love letter to those who make action flicks awesome. Cinephiles and casual viewers alike are bound to fall for “The Fall Guy”.
As of press time, ‘The Fall Guy’ is screening in cinemas nationwide.