Reynolds’ role lacks depth in ‘Free Guy’
“Free Guy” is an ode to independence, creativity and the nicer aspects of anarchy.
The movie addresses all of that in a very corporate manner, though. Its satire of greedy capitalism even has a businesslike feel to it, with cartoonish awful bosses and product placements meant as much to bring cheers of recognition as jeers of derision.
But the film’s heart is in the right place. Everybody, from stars Ryan Reynolds and Jodie Comer to terrifically effective art department and camera crews, brings their A game to this uplifting tale about artificial people discovering their humanity.
Reynolds is Guy, a non-playable character in a “Grand Theft Auto”style video game called “Free City.” Programmed to go to work at the bank and get robbed each day, Guy is a cheerful, everpleasant fellow who knows his place. He doesn’t interact with the higher-caste sunglasswearing characters, who are the avatars of realworld players and, therefore, less predictable in their actions (if not freer of will).
But then one time, amid the background criminal and military mayhem that is all in a day’s work, Guy speaks with a shaded one, a super hot biker chick known as Molotovgirl (Comer). He feels something, and the next thing you know he’s ordering a cappuccino instead of his daily cream and two sugars. Things quickly escalate to the point where this walking glitch becomes the new star of the show, leading other NPCs to self-consciousness and a rebellion that delights players worldwide.
The parallel story to what’s going on inside the game involves stolen code created by Keys ( Joe Keery of “Stranger Things”) and Millie (also Comer, the player operating Molotovgirl). Taika Waititi pushes the limits of “funny” obnoxiousness as Antwan, the evil video game company owner. He tasks his Soonami Studios staff with erasing Guy before the artificial intelligence disrupts the rollout of a soulless but lucrative sequel, “Free City: Carnage.”
The two narratives comment on one another emotionally, a tricky gambit the film pulls off. The movie was shot in
Boston, which was cleaned up and pop-colored for the in-game sequences and left drabber for the real-world shots. The effect is both subtle and striking, and when big digital effects are called for, they almost seem natural in the carefully established context.
Comer’s experience as the chameleon-like assassin Villanelle in “Killing Eve” helps make the connections between her disparate characters seamless; it also means Molotovgirl’s combat stunts look convincing no matter how outlandish they get. Stripped of all “Deadpool” darkness as well as his natural, goodnatured sarcasm, Reynolds personably sells optimistic, innocent Guy at every turn, too.
You sometimes wish, however, that the actor would manifest a bit of the anguish displayed in similar situations by Bill Murray in “Groundhog Day” or Jim Carrey in “The Truman Show.” Might give this pixel pixie a little depth.
Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn’s script makes jokes out of such lowhanging fruit — Anything can happen in an openworld video game! Gamers are weird! — that it may feel embarrassing to laugh at them. Hard to say if this is Shawn Levy’s most ambitious directing project; those “Night at the Museum” films had a lot going on. But “Free Guy” certainly has better ideas and formal flourishes, even if it’s not up to the standards set by “Stranger Things,” which Levy produces.
“Naked Singularity”: Crime thriller. Starring John Boyega, Olivia Cooke and Bill Skarsgård. Directed by Chase Palmer. (R. 93 minutes.) In Bay Area theaters and available to stream via video on demand starting Friday, Aug. 13.
K“Free Guy” was made by Fox before Disney bought that studio, and I’m told the Mouse ordered some reshoots. There’s a fight sequence where other Disneyowned IP references fly as fast as the fists. It’s blatant corporate cross-promotion, and it got the biggest laughs at my screening.
Guess that’s how you sell cinematic comfort. “Free Guy” only wants to make you feel good about getting out of any situation you’re trapped in. The processed platitudes it offers, though, may be another barrier to true liberated thinking.