Staff Review: “The Fall Guy” falls short

Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is not the only thing that fell in David Leitch’s film, “The Fall Guy.” The film, based on the ‘80s TV show of the same name directed by Daniel Haller, struggled to balance its blend of juvenile humor coupled with high-intensity action scenes, ultimately coming up short on more than one occasion.  

While it may have been a gracious nod to stunt performers — the unsung heroes of the film industry — its execution resulted in an awkward rom-com-meets-action film collab. To complicate things even further, “The Fall Guy” entrenches itself into the “movie about a movie” cliché, forcing the audience to decode lingo only used by movie set employees.  

“The Fall Guy” follows the love story of Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), and an up-and-coming film director and stuntman Colt Seavers. Due to an almost career-ending injury on set, Colt takes a break from his intense role. But when actor, Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), goes missing, Colt is tasked with locating the actor to save Jody’s movie. Despite the attention-grabbing explosions, sword fights and flaming boats, the love story is ultimately what takes center stage in this film.  

Are you a little confused? So was I. 

The first act of the film primarily focuses on the budding love between Colt and Jody. Gosling and Blunt bantered naturally, and their roles seemed to fit their personalities well. The acting felt natural and fun, and their chemistry was undeniable. Regardless, I struggled to become attached to the plot during the first act; I was busy wondering when the search for the missing man would occur.   

Maybe it’s my love for a good mystery, but the incongruous shifts between the “search for Tom” and “woo Jody” storylines were a bit much for me. I was especially lost within the “search for Tom” plot. Characters who seemed to be threats to Colt, nearly killing him on multiple occasions, never returned, leaving major plot holes. Moments that should have felt life-threatening also lost considerable weight in the wake of ill-timed jokes.  

Although I love a good action film, “The Fall Guy” felt like it was written by a college-aged boy.  Not even 20 minutes went by without some sort of high-intensity action sequence, peppered with jokes that catered towards a very specific audience. My boyfriend was enamored, while I, on the other hand, was wondering how this stuntman managed to crack a joke after finding a dead body.  

Overall, the plot was sufficiently confusing, and I struggled to understand how Colt went from fighting drug dealers to casually returning to set with Jody, acting as if all was normal.  

However, this glimpse into the life of a stuntman was unique. It was eye-opening to see how underappreciated stuntpeople are; in the scenes that featured Jody directing her movie, Colt is shown tossed against walls, rolled in cars, set on fire and so much more. Watching the physical toll invoked by Jody’s demand to use CGI to replace Colt’s face with Tom’s drove home Leitch’s point, highlighting the overlooked position of professional stuntmen.  

Though I struggled to keep the narrative straight, the tribute to stuntpeople was evident and heartfelt. After every extreme stunt, Colt gave his signature thumbs-up to show that he was alright. This simple, yet powerful, gesture was a reminder of how these niche actors frequently sacrifice their bodies for the quality of a film.   

I don’t think I would watch “The Fall Guy” again; it was about 20 minutes too long and had one explosion too many, each followed by a joke that felt ill-timed. But, if you enjoy a plot line with lots of turns, humor to ease intensity and a quality love story, this may be the film for you. 

Mullet is a staff writer for the Liberty Champion.