I love all films. Quiet films, funny films, scary films, violent films, romantic films...etc. I love the whole damn lot of 'em.
Then there are the films which completely absorb me into their world, I'm transported, transfixed, enamoured, entranced, bewitched. I float out of the cinema, intoxicated by that special rhythm and beat. All my troubles have melted away and I'm inspired. I want to be in their gang.
That's how I feel tonight after seeing The Fall Guy. It's not an understatement to say that I have been just about moved to tears by how much I bloody loved this film.
In fact, I'm probably going to have to let it sink in more before the words will come to me. I'm still taking it in.
Yes, okay, a lot of people may think I have an extreme reaction to films and yes, you'd be completely right. But it's my jam, it's my thing, it's what I love, what I do, who I am. Recently re-reading my diaries from the late 80's, early 90's, I talk so excitedly about the films I've seen and the upcoming releases I want to see. Nothing has changed. I still feel that same sense of excitement every time I walk into the welcoming darkness of the auditorium.
So, The Fall Guy. I've been excited about this for ages. I remember the TV show when I was a kid. It's got Gosling, Blunt and Taylor-Johnson. I had high hopes, I had big expectations and thank goodness, they were exceeded.
Directed by David Leitch, previously of Bullet Train, Deadpool 2, Fast & Furious: Hobbs and Shaw. All of which I have seen more than twice! See, my hopes were very high!
Loosely based on the 1980s TV show, it follows Ryan Gosling as stunt performer Colt Seavers and the literal ups and downs of his career and relationship with aspiring director Jody Moreno played by Emily Blunt. A lot of the story takes place on the set of new movie 'Metalstorm', featuring the big movie star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson, brilliant as always too). Â I really can't go into any detail as it would spoil even the beginning of the film, let alone the rest.
I don't think it's a surprise to say this but both Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling are effortless, they makes it look all so easy and are a joy to watch from beginning to end. It's also great to see Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso) as the film's producer and Winston Duke (Black Panther) as stunt co-ordinator on Metalstorm.
For me, as a film fan, I always love a 'film within a film' set up. This works so well at being an action film behind-the-scenes of an action film. There are so many film references and some great cameos. I was very happy.
Of course the stars of this show are the stunt performers. Overlooked by the Oscars, which surely is something that has to be addressed right now. The often unsung heroes of all action films, the ones taking the risks and making the actors look so good. What they achieve and risk to bring us breath-taking cinema should be celebrated and recognised. This film goes a big way to hopefully achieving some of that.
It is well paced, very funny, great comic timing throughout, the action, as to be expected, absolutely breath-taking and it took me by surprise a number of times and is unexpectedly quirky and unusual in places. I absolutely loved it, smiled the whole way through and played the soundtrack on the way home (and as I write this now).
Oh, and if you were thinking you're eagerly awaiting the release of the movie within the movie 'Metalstorm', well it already exists. Yes, inspired by a 1983 film of the same name - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085935/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 - I know I'd like to see that remake!
Go see The Fall Guy and smile.