FALL OR NOTHING
RYAN GOSLING PUTS HIS BODY ON THE LINE IN THIS ACTION-PACKED HOMAGE TO CLASSIC EIGHTIES TELEVISION SHOW
I HAVE fond childhood memories from the early 1980s of the roughand-tumble TV show The Fall Guy starring Lee Majors as a revered film stuntman, who side hustles as a bounty hunter using the daredevil skills he has honed in front of a camera.
Stunt performer turned director David Leitch’s crowd-pleasing action comedy pays tribute to the TV series and the wider community of gifted action artists who take body blows for big-name actors but publicly receive none of the credit for their bone-crunching work.
Ryan Gosling plays veteran stuntman Colt Seavers, who abruptly severs ties with the film industry after breaking his back while performing a fall in place of Hollywood star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson).
The near-fatal accident, which Colt insists was his fault, also sounds a death knell for an on-set romance with camera operator Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt).
Out of the blue, film executive Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham), who produces Ryder’s blockbusters, phones Colt and implores him to get on an plane to Australia to double for her arrogant star in sci-fi epic Metalstorm.
The film is dangerously over budget, behind schedule and just so happens to be Jody’s directorial debut. Working alongside good friend and action choreographer Dan Tucker (Winston Duke), Colt turns the film’s fortunes around with his heroic efforts.
“Save Jody’s film and maybe you get the love of your life back,” teasingly suggests Gail.
The Fall Guy is a slave to two demanding masters (adrenalinepumping action and goofy romance) but doesn’t fully satisfy either.
In their limited shared screen time, Gosling and Blunt are fiercely entertaining and anchor some of the film’s wackier moments including a harebrained finale.
Stunts are breathtaking, such as performer Logan Holladay’s world record-breaking 8.5 cannon rolls in a car and a dizzying fight inside a spinning metal skip that is being dragged behind a lorry through the streets of Sydney.
Gosling bravely falls backwards 12 storeys in the bravura opening sequence, shot in a single take to shepherd us through the organised chaos of a movie set.
End credits conceal behindthe-scenes footage and an affectionate nod to the small screen inspiration for this love letter to the stunt community.
In cinemas now