Ryan Gosling & Emily Blunt’s Shocking Roles in ‘The Fall Guy’ – Stuntman Shakes it Up!

I have to admit that until I watched the crowd-favorite movie “The Fall Guy,” I was not aware that its title is a reference to stunt performers who specialize in high jumps. My knowledge of it being based on a TV series from the ’80s was also vague, as I was busy with college and spent most of my leisure time sipping light beer at the Dodger Stadium’s left-field pavilion, pondering why Tommy Lasorda let Tom Niedenfuer pitch to Jack Clark with an open base.

Unlike that 1985 playoff series, “The Fall Guy” ends on a much more positive note, but not for the reasons you might think. Given that the director, David Leitch, is a former stunt double for top-tier celebrities like Matt Damon and Brad Pitt, it’s no surprise that the film showcases extraordinary stunt work. However, at its core, the film is a romantic comedy that thrives on the charm of its two charismatic leads, Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. You may be drawn in by the breathtaking stunts, but what will stick with you is Blunt’s character teasing Gosling’s for tearing up to a Taylor Swift song.

Why is Gosling’s character crying, you ask? He portrays a stuntman, who aren’t usually known for getting emotional. However, Gosling’s Colt Seavers has a valid reason for his tears. He served as a stunt double for the egotistical action star, Tom Ryder (played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who delightfully blends traits of Tom Cruise and Matthew McConaughey), until a high-stakes jump went disastrously wrong. Humiliated, he leaves Hollywood and the woman he loves, camera operator Jody Moreno (Blunt).

Fast forward eighteen months, Colt receives a call from Ryder’s intrusive producing partner, Gail (Hannah Waddingham from “Ted Lasso”), pleading for his help on the Sydney set of Ryder’s latest film, a goofy sci-fi saga called “Metalstorm,” which coincidentally is Jody’s directorial debut. With Ryder nowhere in sight, Gail hopes Colt can help locate him and, while he’s there, perform a few stunts, and perhaps reignite his romance with Jody.

The film’s screenwriter, Drew Pearce, is well-versed in action films (and likely familiar with temperamental action stars and studio meddling) with credits including “Iron Man 3” and Leitch’s “Hobbs & Shaw.” He cleverly infuses the first half of “The Fall Guy” with witty, self-aware commentary about big-budget filmmaking, the proper use of split screens, and the puzzling absence of an Oscar category for stunt work. If there was such a category (and there should be), the film’s stunt designer, Chris O’Hara, would be a shoe-in for the award.

In one of the film’s most inventive sequences, Jody forces Colt to explain why he abandoned her, cleverly disguised as an explanation of “Metalstorm’s” love plot, all while repeatedly performing a stunt where he is set on fire and thrown against a rock. Forget a vengeful song, a constant cry of “Action” does the trick.

The film cleverly uses stunts to develop characters, progress the narrative, and showcase Gosling’s knack for physical comedy. If Colt can’t give a thumbs-up sign after a stunt, it’s more than just a blow to his pride. He’s navigating a perplexing swirl of confusion — and a possible murder suspicion — that even a pitcher of spicy margaritas (no one says “spicy margarita” better than Emily Blunt) can’t resolve.

The leads share such a relaxed rapport that you soon find yourself longing for the days when their characters can reunite over a lost shaker of salt. However, the film then sidelines Blunt and shifts its focus entirely to the action, using boats, helicopters, and garbage trucks in an undoubtedly impressive array of stunts — but to a diminishing effect. One of the recurring gags in “The Fall Guy” is Jody trying to fix “Metalstorm’s” third-act problems. You get the feeling that Leitch and Pearce encountered a similar obstacle, but unlike Colt and his fellow stuntmen, they didn’t quite manage to bounce back.

Or perhaps, in their perspective, they did and produced exactly the film they envisioned. Given Leitch’s background, it’s not unexpected that “The Fall Guy” ultimately serves as a heartfelt tribute to stunt performers, bringing attention to a profession that inherently requires staying out of the spotlight. The closing credits show behind-the-scenes footage of the stunts being executed, demonstrating that everyone had a good (and safe) time. The film’s brotherly spirit reminded me of the outtake reels shown at the end of Burt Reynolds films directed by Hal Needham, who, fittingly, started his career as a stunt double.