A Movie Just as Corny, But Better Than You Expect: "The Fall Guy" by Kade Maiden

Student Miles Page with the movie poster. 

I went into this movie with generally low expectations. I expected visually stunning stunts, engaging performances by a star-studded cast (Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Hannah Waddingham), but not much else. But I was wrong, and enjoyed and was captivated by a goofy love story, and a story arc predictable as it was, that kept me excited and engaged for the 2 hours it was.

"The Fall Guy" was released in the United States on May 3. It received generally positive reviews as well as a good reception from an audience, as well as setting a Guinness World Record for the most cannon rolls performed in a car.

As of May 5, 2024, "The Fall Guy" has grossed $28.5 million in the United States and Canada and $36.9 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $65.4 million.

The movie follows a stuntman, who works on some of the largest action movies in the world as a stunt double for an action star “Tom Ryder” with his camerawoman girlfriend named Jody. He is living his dream, and enjoying his life. Until a tragic accident on set breaks his back, and as he recovers he spirals and quits his job. 

18 months later, he is working as a valet and gets a call that Jody needs him to be a stuntman in the first movie she is directing. He drops everything, and flies to Australia to help her.

The film is based on a television show from the early 80’s named "The Fall Guy," about Hollywood performers who moonlight as bounty hunters. Two of the original actors of the series as well as Jason Momoa have cameos in the closing scenes of the movie.

This film was made by director David Leitch, who himself is a former stuntman (and stunt double for Brad Pitt and David Hasselhoff) and is seen as a “love letter to stunts”. Leitch began directing in 2017, and is best known for directing the movie "Bullet Train" in 2022.

The only complaint that I would have about the entire movie is the lack of consistency for the fight scenes, and the plot armor that many of the characters have as bullets fly, and devastating punches are thrown, as well as the violent explosions that cause absolutely zero casualties. 

The consensus of the website Rotten Tomatoes reads: "With action, comedy, romance, and a pair of marvelously matched stars, 'The Fall Guy' might be the rare mainstream movie with something to entertain everyone." And thus ultimately, I would recommend this movie to anyone, because even though it seems simple, it focuses on the most important value of movies: entertainment.