The Fall Guy (2024) Dir: David Leitch
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David Leitch's action romcom was one I'd hoped to see at the cinema, but wasn't able to. However, when the opportunity arose to catch it later, I was more than happy to take it. I had read mostly positive reviews, which helped me feel quite optimistic that I'd enjoy it.
The film was, of course, a massive love letter to film stunt crews, and, as such, featured a variety of classic and exciting stunt manoeuvres and set pieces, as well as the behind the scenes coordination and techniques that go into making the films we all enjoy look so exciting.
The story was the weakest aspect of the film. It was predictable, shallow and a little nonsensical. Don't misconstrue, I thought it was a lot of fun, but it wasn't a good story from a critical viewpoint. I enjoyed the film more because of the comedy and the natural chemistry between the film's leading stars.
Ryan Gosling gave another one of his silly and enjoyable performances, in which he engaged some of that same goofy persona that worked so well in the 'Barbie' film. I also loved the deadpan delivery of some of his jokes, which made for some very funny moments.
Emily Blunt was extremely entertaining. I loved her humour, and found her to be a wonderful choice of co-star. As I implied above, her chemistry with Gosling was a pleasure to witness, and I thought that Blunt's silly side was the perfect fit for the role.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Hannah Waddingham gave good, though not amazing, performances. Taylor-Johnson felt a little bit forgettable at times, but Waddingham felt much more comfortable and confident with her role. I will also give quick mentions to Teresa Palmer, Winston Duke and Stephanie Hsu, who were all entertaining in much smaller roles.
Overall, this was a silly, but very fun, action romcom. It had a little bit of everything, and while it dipped its toes into some more serious topics, it never took itself too seriously. There were some very noticeable issues with the narrative, but it only bothered me a little bit - I still had a really good time.
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