The Fall Guy (2024)

"The Fall Guy" is a movie about Hollywood. I despise movies about Hollywood and I detest movies about filmmaking.

Watching people make a movie serves as a constant reminder that I am watching a movie.

While that approach is undoubtedly trendy and post-modern, it's not the reason I watch movies.

I want to forget I am watching a movie.

I desire to immerse myself in the movie world so thoroughly that I merge with the movie, becoming one with it.

Watching people make a movie completely disrupts that vibe for me!

This film's single redeeming quality is that it's not about directing, writing, or producing a movie; it's about a Hollywood stuntman.

Sadly, the movie still falls short. The characters are one-dimensional, the plot is overly complicated gibberish, and I constantly found myself wondering if Ryan Gosling performed any of the stunts himself.

Additionally, for a movie that claims to honor Hollywood's stuntmen, there aren't any real stuntmen in the actual movie. There are plenty of stunts, and there are plenty of stuntmen executing the sophisticated stunts, but as with all movies, we never see their faces.

Ironically, the fictional lead actor of one of the fictional films complains that the stuntman has too much "face." This is amusing on two levels. It's humorous to see Aaron Taylor-Johnson tell Ryan Gosling that no one wants to see Ryan's face.

It's also ironic that no one wanted to show the actual stuntmen's faces, not even in the outtakes at the end. I think they might have gotten a chance to show off their faces on the red carpet, but that's too little too late in my book.



You should not watch The Fall Guy if...

• You dislike movies about Hollywood or movie-making.
• You prefer to lose yourself completely in the fictional world of a film and not be reminded that you're watching a movie.
• You want to see multidimensional characters and a straightforward, sensible plot.
• You are expecting to see real stunt men shown in the film.
• You want a film that offers substantial recognition to stuntmen, beyond just performing the stunts.

Whats the deal with...
Warning: The following may contain spoilers:

What's the deal with "The Fall Guy"? I mean, it's supposed to be a movie about Hollywood, but all I see are a bunch of actors pretending to be actors pretending to do stunts.

It's like watching a dog chase its tail, except the dog is wearing a wig and there's a green screen in the background. And to top it off, the dog's not even doing his own stunts!

People who loved this movie also loved...
Drive (2011):

Given your preference for immersive cinema and considering your thoughts on "The Fall Guy," you might find "Drive" captivating. Here, Ryan Gosling also plays a stuntman, but this movie takes a very different approach. Unlike "The Fall Guy," "Drive" allows Gosling to simultaneously be a stunt driver and a getaway driver, blending 'movie magic' with intense, gritty real-world stakes. Rest assured, the film does not focus on the Hollywood scene or the process of filmmaking. Instead, it plunges you into a neo-noir world. Nicolas Winding Refn's distinctive directing style may also contribute to your immersion in the story.

The French Connection (1971):

"The French Connection" might also appeal to you. This classic, directed by William Friedkin, doesn't touch on Hollywood or stunt work, but rather focuses on gritty crime solving in the streets of 1970s New York. It doesn't break the fourth wall or remind you that you're watching a film, ensuring a perfectly immersive viewing experience for the audience. The film offers spectacular chase scenes that have become iconic in cinema, displaying real-world thrills and chases without glorifying the Hollywood stunt industry.

Speed (1994):

Finally, "Speed" is an action-packed thrill ride that may feed your appetite for stunts and thrilling sequences without reminding you of Hollywood's inner workings. In this edge-of-your-seat crime thriller, Keanu Reeves plays a cop who must prevent a bomb from exploding on a public bus by keeping its speed above 50 mph. Directed by Jan de Bont, it's an engaging and immersive film that will keep you thoroughly engrossed in the unique, tense scenario that unfolds.

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