The Fall Guy and Cinemas’ Unsung Heroes

Growing up, I always loved coming home after school and practice and watching tv with my dad. I wasn’t like most kids who just wanted to watch Disney Channel. I wanted to watch something “cooler” and as long as I can remember my dad had a huge influence on what I watched. 

We watched Dragnet, Macgyver, the A-Team, Knight Rider and of course The Fall Guy. Although it wasn’t my favorite, it was classic 80’s action television. It left a mark on my dad who left that with me and my enjoyment of 80’s television.

When I heard they were making a movie loosely based on the show I was excited. When I heard it was going to be directed by David Leitch (Deadpool 2, Bullet Train) and starring Ryan Gosling (La La Land, Barbie) and Emily Blunt (Edge of Tomorrow, The Devil Wears Prada) I was ecstatic and couldn’t wait to go watch it.

The Fall Guy was released May 3, 2024, by Universal Pictures.

The plot revolves around Gosling’s character Colt Seavers. He shares the same name as the original show’s main character played by Lee Majors. That’s about the only similarity between the show and movie. Of course there is the classic GMC K-2500 Wideside truck.

Seavers is the stunt double for action star Tom Ryder and Colt’s girlfriend Jody, played by Emily Blunt is a camera operator. 

Colt breaks his back in an accident and pushes away Jody as he abandons his career. 

Colt receives a phone call from Gail, his producer, 18 months later while working a dead-end job. She tells him Jody is directing a movie in Sydney and said Jody asked for him. But when he arrives, he learns Jody had no idea he was coming. 

Gail tricked him into coming and explains that Tom is missing. She doesn’t call the police because the film is over budget and doesn’t want the studio to find out and asks Colt to find him. 

He gives in because he wants Jody’s movie to fail and decides to go on the hunt for Tom. That is where the fun begins. 

That’s all I will say in the hopes those reading will go watch this movie that is just a ball of fun. 

The film received predominantly positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer gave it a Fresh 81% and the audience score was 86%. Metacritic gave it 73/100 and RogerEbert gave it 3 ½ out of 4 stars.

In the era of studios wanting to build universes like the MCU, and endless Disney remakes, people are often longing for something new and fun.

The Fall Guy harkens back to a time of 80’s tv with its energetic blend of action, humor and romance. 

David Leitch started out as a stuntman and makes this movie as an ode to all the people behind the scenes who do the work but aren’t seen. 

Throughout the movie they make subtle and not-so-subtle references about how stuntmen and women should get more recognition. 

Gosling is brilliant as always embracing the role of the out of luck and fish out of water stuntman turned bounty hunter. 

Blunt is also great as the nervous first-time director and their chemistry oozes through the screen.

But the real scene stealer are the stunts that Leitch has choreographed. There are several brilliant action scenes that differ from many films because of how realistic they are, and stunts are front and center in all of them. 

Another thing I personally loved and what made the film its own is the soundtrack. The film takes you back in time with classics like You Give Love a Bad Name, Against All Odds, and I was made for Lovin’ You which make the 80’s vibes pop even more.

Although it was released to mostly positive reviews, and had two superstars leading, the film ended up losing over $50 million. 

Even though the film lost money for the studio, I hope more films like The Fall Guy will continue to be made. They take me back to my childhood and tv I grew up watching. 

It is an ode to a time gone by, a love letter to 80’s shows and the stuntmen and women, the true heroes behind the scenes. The Fall Guy is what a Hollywood blockbuster should be, FUN