Superhero flicks have seen superior days at the box office, but an action-comedy based on a 1980s TV series still appears as an improbable contender to launch the summer season. Boosted by the allure of what Ryan Gosling can bring to a post-"Barbie" follow-up (or Ken-core), "The Fall Guy" lacks vigor in the initial stages to wholly meet that challenge, rallying towards the conclusion without attaining the peaks necessary to create a truly massive impact.
At its pinnacle, director David Leitch ("Deadpool 2") has delivered a film characterized by its adoration for the cinema, and specifically, the stunt work where he honed his skills before transitioning into the director's chair. In that regard, the television show starring Lee Majors (a series most memorable for its theme song, prominently featured) establishes a very loose framework to construct a narrative about a stunt performer whose tribulations spill over from the screen into real life, compelling him to utilize his abilities in confronting genuine adversaries.
Reaching that juncture necessitates some build-up, with Gosling's Colt Seavers initially depicted as the stunt double for a typically self-centered celebrity, Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), while forging a connection with Jody (Emily Blunt), a fellow member of the crew.
An incident disrupts Colt's plans and indeed his life, and considerable time elapses before he's summoned out of retirement by Gail ("Ted Lasso's" Hannah Waddingham), the fast-talking, problem-solving producer on all of Ryder's projects. Naturally, he might opt to remain safely at home if the interstellar saga in question didn't mark Jody's directorial debut, offering the possibility of a reunion that, predictably, encounters obstacles.
There are also concealed motives behind the renewed interest in Colt, relating to off-screen mischief and Ryder entangling himself with unsavory characters. This compels Colt into what amounts to private-investigator mode, employing his movie-honed skills to extricate himself from perilous situations.
Establishing all of that, including the romantic subplot, results in some dry spells between the elaborate stunts, which ultimately serve as the primary draw of "The Fall Guy" and certainly its comedic element. Gosling infuses Colt with a whimsical charm and amusing vulnerability, but the underlying premise was somewhat strained even during the Reagan era, and amplifying the entire affair for the big screen doesn't completely alleviate those concerns.
"The Fall Guy" thus distinguishes itself primarily through smaller moments and nuances, such as Colt's employer (Winston Duke) incessantly quoting movie dialogue to him, Taylor-Johnson echoing the cadence of Matthew McConaughey, and a trained stunt dog responding to commands in French, including one particularly juvenile instruction.
Chiefly, "The Fall Guy" feels encumbered by the burden of expectations and its positioning as a major blockbuster when the film essentially operates as a light-hearted homage to the unsung stuntman, in a manner that's merely genially satisfactory. Gosling possesses ample charisma, but attempting to elevate it beyond that is, even for him, a daunting task.
"The Fall Guy" debuts on May 3 in theaters across the United States. It carries a PG-13 rating.
