The Fall Guy feels like a vintage blockbuster, with epic stunts, classic comedy and some good old-fashioned romance. And it’s no surprise that the film has a nostalgic feel, considering it’s based on the ’80s TV show of the same name.
Its all-star cast has contributed to the excitement around the movie before its release in UK cinemas on 2nd May. Not only do we have Ryan Gosling in his first role since channelling his Kenergy into an Oscar-winning performance in Barbie, but the esteemed Emily Blunt is at her deadpan best as The Fall Guy‘s leading actress. National treasure Hannah Waddingham also makes an appearance, not to mention the original ’80s The Fall Guy star Lee Majors.
The premise revolves around Colt Seavers (played by Gosling), a former stuntman who comes back on the scene to try and help his ex-girlfriend, camera operator Jody Moreno (played by Blunt), find the missing star of the blockbuster movie she’s working on. Colt formerly hung up his stunt double boots after the actor he was working with was injured on set and this marks his first foray back into the profession. Chaos ensues, with Colt and Jody swiftly embroiled in a conspiracy theory surrounding the film. This is everything we know about The Fall Guy, which lands in cinemas on Thursday.
And if you’re looking for more movie inspiration, new plot details have been revealed for the next instalment of Bridget Jones and there’s also been another update on the Princess Diaries 3. Exciting times.
What is The Fall Guy based on?
(Image credit: Eric Laciste / Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection)
The Fall Guy is loosely based on the ’80s TV series of the same name, which was created by American TV producer and writer Glen A. Larson and starred Lee Majors, who makes a cameo in the 2024 movie as a police officer.
The Fall Guy TV series ran from 1981 to 1986 for five seasons and is now widely regarded as a classic ’80s show, dubbed “one of the best shows and best theme songs (sung by Lee Majors himself) in all of television history,” by one reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes, who claims “it still stands the test of time, forty years later”.
Ryan Gosling studied the original series before taking on the role of Colt Seavers 2.0 and also met with original series actor Lee Majors. “He came out to Australia and I had an opportunity to talk to him and spend the day with him,” he told PEOPLE. “It was pretty great.” He then went on to say that he and Lee, who was in the role for five years, are now “text buddies,” before adding: “He’s so funny and he’s very lovely and gracious.”
Who wrote The Fall Guy?
The original The Fall Guy series was penned by numerous writers throughout its five seasons back in the ’80s, but the 2024 film has British screenwriter, director, and producer Drew Pierce at the helm. Drew is best known for co-writing Iron Man 3 and Hobbs & Shaw, as well as crafting the story for Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation. The writer also created the British TV comedy No Heroics.
What are The Fall Guy reviews saying?
Reviews for The Fall Guy have been extremely positive, with critics praising the on-screen chemistry of Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt in particular. Adrian Horton at the Guardian praises how the movie shines a spotlight on the stunt world, calling it “an utterly charming, unpretentious rebuttal to the encroachment of digital effects in life and film”. She also calls it “a celebration of blockbuster movies and their illusions of grandeur made by dozens and dozens of people working in concert, mostly below the line, and specifically the under-appreciated work of stunt doubles”.
While Kelechi Ehenulo for Empire calls it a “gloriously entertaining comedy”, before asking “How do we live in a time where the Academy still hasn’t recognised Hollywood’s stunt community with an Oscar category?”
The reviewer then goes on to comment that viewers will feel “a sense of warmth and affection in every frame” as well as praising the portrayal of the stunt industry, writing: “Each stunt sequence—be it a high-risk jump from a helicopter, an elaborate fight scene in a neon-lit nightclub, or a pyrotechnic car chase across a beach—is a death-defying tribute to the men and women behind the craft.”
While Peter Debruge at Variety does note the “insanely overcomplicated story”, he also praises Ryan Gosling for giving audiences “one of his most appealing characters yet, blending the dedicated action hero of Drive with the charismatic ladies’ man of Crazy, Stupid, Love“.
Is there a trailer for The Fall Guy?
Yes, the trailer for The Fall Guy has already been doing the rounds on social media. You can watch the action-packed trailer, released by Universal Pictures, below.
Reactions to the trailer have been equally positive, with one YouTube user writing, “Ryan Gosling is a terrific actor, he’s been doing some real cool stuff lately”. While another said: “I used to watch The Fall Guy TV series with Lee Majors as a kid with religious devotion! This looks very, VERY good! I am excited!” And another wrote: “A live action Fall Guys movie was something we didn’t ask for, but absolutely need.”
The Fall Guy is screening in UK cinemas from Thursday 2nd May 2024.