In 1979, Burt Reynolds had an unexpected hit with HOOPER - a story of a stunt man. In 1980, Steve McQueen had an unexpected hit with THE HUNTER - the story of modern day bounty hunter. The following meeting happened (probably) at a studio nearby around that time:
STUDIO HEAD: We just signed The SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN, Lee Majors to a TV Deal, what kind of show can we put him in?
Executive 1: How about a show about a Stunt Man like in Hooper?
Executive 2: How about a show about a modern day Bounty Hunter like in THE HUNTER.
Executive 3 (Michael): What if we put him in a show about a guy who is a Stunt Man by Day and a Bounty Hunter by Night?
STUDIO HEAD: Michael...you're a genius.
And that, presumably, is how the TV Series THE FALL GUY was born.
Now fast forward to 2023:
STUDIO HEAD: What have we got?
Executive 1: We just signed Ryan Gosling to a movie deal
Executive 2: We just signed Emily Blunt to a movie deal.
Executive 3 (Michael - still at the studio after all these years): Why don't we put them both in a film based on THE FALL GUY TV Series from the 1980's?
STUDIO HEAD: Michael...you're a genius.
And that (probably) is how we got the the action/comedy/romance THE FALL GUY.
The studio also ran into some luck as Gosling (Barbie) and Blunt (Oppenheimer) are BOTH coming off Academy Award nominations after the Summer of 2023 was named the summer of "Barbenheimer".
Gosling, as one would expect, is charming as stunt-man Colt Seavers who is brought back to a movie set (after an accident has sidelined him) to once again be the Stunt-Man for Action Star Tom Ryder (a very good Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Only problem is that the Director of this film is his former girlfriend Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt) and there's a pushy Producer, Gail Meyer (Hannah Wadingham - Ted Lasso) and a sinister sub-plot that gets Seavers and some of his stunt buddies (like Seavers' stunt-coordinator buddy Dan Tucker - Winston Duke (US)) involved in.
All to say that the plot is as thin as ice on a warm afternoon, but serves it purpose to move this film from one stunt to another as THE FALL GUY is nothing more than a bouquet of love thrown to the most unheralded of all people on an action movie set - the Stunt Men and Women.
And...thanks to strong direction by David Leitch (the criminally under-rated BULLET TRAIN), THE STUNT MAN is the family, friendly, PG-13, Action/Comedy/Romance that we did not know we needed...but we do.
Gosling sets the tone and is a fine center of this film while Duke, Taylor-Johnson and Waddingham all valiantly support the thin plot as it hops from stunt to stunt. Others in the cast like Stephanie Hsu (EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE, ALL AT ONCE) and Model Teresa Palmer show up, briefly to move things along.
And...one might add...so does Blunt. The biggest complaint for this film is that it does not give Blunt (who has proven she can do action films when she was in LIVE, DIE REPEAT...or, I mean...EDGE OF TOMORROW) much to do besides being the love interest who is unaware that Seavers is dealing with a sinister sub-plot because she is so focused on her film.
Now...to be fair...that's the tension that moves the story along and gives Director Leitsch plenty of room to deliver fast-paced "put down" dialogue between Blunt and Gosling - and both bring their "A" game to this. They are equals here...and their chemistry jumps off the screen.
It's doubtful that Blunt or Gosling will be Oscar Nominated for this film, but it is this pairing...and the stunts...that makes THE FALL GUY worth seeing.
And further cements Executive #3 (Michael) as a Genius.
Letter Grade B+
7 1/2 (out of 10) Stars - did I mention that the plot is paper-thin?
And...you can take that to the Bank(OfMarquis)
STUDIO HEAD: We just signed The SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN, Lee Majors to a TV Deal, what kind of show can we put him in?
Executive 1: How about a show about a Stunt Man like in Hooper?
Executive 2: How about a show about a modern day Bounty Hunter like in THE HUNTER.
Executive 3 (Michael): What if we put him in a show about a guy who is a Stunt Man by Day and a Bounty Hunter by Night?
STUDIO HEAD: Michael...you're a genius.
And that, presumably, is how the TV Series THE FALL GUY was born.
Now fast forward to 2023:
STUDIO HEAD: What have we got?
Executive 1: We just signed Ryan Gosling to a movie deal
Executive 2: We just signed Emily Blunt to a movie deal.
Executive 3 (Michael - still at the studio after all these years): Why don't we put them both in a film based on THE FALL GUY TV Series from the 1980's?
STUDIO HEAD: Michael...you're a genius.
And that (probably) is how we got the the action/comedy/romance THE FALL GUY.
The studio also ran into some luck as Gosling (Barbie) and Blunt (Oppenheimer) are BOTH coming off Academy Award nominations after the Summer of 2023 was named the summer of "Barbenheimer".
Gosling, as one would expect, is charming as stunt-man Colt Seavers who is brought back to a movie set (after an accident has sidelined him) to once again be the Stunt-Man for Action Star Tom Ryder (a very good Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Only problem is that the Director of this film is his former girlfriend Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt) and there's a pushy Producer, Gail Meyer (Hannah Wadingham - Ted Lasso) and a sinister sub-plot that gets Seavers and some of his stunt buddies (like Seavers' stunt-coordinator buddy Dan Tucker - Winston Duke (US)) involved in.
All to say that the plot is as thin as ice on a warm afternoon, but serves it purpose to move this film from one stunt to another as THE FALL GUY is nothing more than a bouquet of love thrown to the most unheralded of all people on an action movie set - the Stunt Men and Women.
And...thanks to strong direction by David Leitch (the criminally under-rated BULLET TRAIN), THE STUNT MAN is the family, friendly, PG-13, Action/Comedy/Romance that we did not know we needed...but we do.
Gosling sets the tone and is a fine center of this film while Duke, Taylor-Johnson and Waddingham all valiantly support the thin plot as it hops from stunt to stunt. Others in the cast like Stephanie Hsu (EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE, ALL AT ONCE) and Model Teresa Palmer show up, briefly to move things along.
And...one might add...so does Blunt. The biggest complaint for this film is that it does not give Blunt (who has proven she can do action films when she was in LIVE, DIE REPEAT...or, I mean...EDGE OF TOMORROW) much to do besides being the love interest who is unaware that Seavers is dealing with a sinister sub-plot because she is so focused on her film.
Now...to be fair...that's the tension that moves the story along and gives Director Leitsch plenty of room to deliver fast-paced "put down" dialogue between Blunt and Gosling - and both bring their "A" game to this. They are equals here...and their chemistry jumps off the screen.
It's doubtful that Blunt or Gosling will be Oscar Nominated for this film, but it is this pairing...and the stunts...that makes THE FALL GUY worth seeing.
And further cements Executive #3 (Michael) as a Genius.
Letter Grade B+
7 1/2 (out of 10) Stars - did I mention that the plot is paper-thin?
And...you can take that to the Bank(OfMarquis)