Digital Review: THE FALL GUY

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May 23 Posted by Kyle Nolan in DVD/Blu-ray, Reviews | Comments

Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) has been a Hollywood stuntman for over 15 years, and for the past 6 years he’s served as the stunt double for one of the biggest action stars out there, Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). He’s living the dream on his dream job, working beside the woman he has a major crush on, camera operator Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt). However, when a stunt goes wrong that leaves Colt badly injured, he retreats to a dark place. He’s depressed and embarrassed, and decides to leave the business, working as a valet and ghosting Jody just as their romance was about to take off.

Eighteen months later, Tom Ryder is starring in the new sci fi epic love story Metalstorm, which will be Jody’s directorial debut. Tom’s new stunt double has gone missing, and Tom has gotten mixed up with some questionable characters, and has also gone AWOL from set. In order to save the film, producer Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham) tells Colt that Jody personally asked for him—which is all he needs to hear to agree to come out of his retirement. However, when Colt shows up on set, it’s a complete surprise to Jody, who isn’t too pleased to see him after having no contact for the past year. And she prefers to vent their relationship issues in front of the entire cast and crew. Meanwhile, Gail sends Colt to find and bring back Tom before the studio gets wind of what’s going on and shuts the production down. However, Colt soon finds himself the target of a dangerous and deadly plot, and he’s going to need to use all of his skills as a stuntman to find those responsible and clear his name. At the same time, he also hopes to rekindle his relationship with Jody.

The film also stars Winston Duke as Colt’s stuntman friend Dan Tucker, who’s the stunt coordinator on Metalstorm; Teresa Palmer as Iggy Starr, the female lead of Metalstorm and girlfriend of Tom Ryder; and Stephanie Hsu as assistant/PA Alma Milan. The film is based on the classic television series of the same name, created by Glen A. Larson, which ran from 1981-1986. And it is directed by David Leitch (Bullet Train, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, Deadpool 2, Atomic Blonde), a stuntman-turned-director who knows a thing or two about blending action and comedy.

The Fall Guy is a fun, wild ride, and a meta-filled love letter to the hard-working and often under-appreciated and under-acknowledged stunt industry. The film constantly weaves in these massive and impressive action set pieces that naturally blend into the narrative. While we do see Colt perform stunts for the movie-within-the-movie, such as a barrel roll or being set on fire, he also often finds himself under attack from bad guys, and here we get some really exciting fight sequences and car chases, and even both at once—a fight aboard a garbage skip as it speeds and spins down the road. The meta nature of the film is partially what makes it so fun to watch—these stunt sequences are so wild and over-the-top, but also don’t feel out of place in this setting. The filmmakers also enjoy throwing in other commentary and meta references, such as the fact that there is no Oscar category for stunts, or Jody discussing how she might use split screen in her film, while we are actually experiencing a split screen moment between her and Colt. There is also this running bit with Jody and Colt discussing the plot of Metalstorm—the film-within-the-film about the love between an Alien and a Cowboy—but what they are really doing is having a thinly-veiled discussion about their own relationship.

The original The Fall Guy series was a staple in my house growing up. Lee Majors played Hollywood stuntman-turned-bounty hunter Colt Seavers, who often made use of his massive GMC truck to help get his target. The film makes lots of fun nods to the series and Majors, such as once again giving Colt his signature truck (on loan from the production), and even giving a subtle The Six Million Dollar Man sound cue during one of the fight sequences. The soundtrack is also filled with music of the late 70s/early 80s to evoke that nostalgic feeling. Plus, the TV show’s theme appears during the credits, where we get to see footage of the film’s real stunt crew in action.

Ryan Gosling is so entertaining in the role, oozing charm and charisma while also making you laugh and really believe he could be this renowned stuntman. He and Emily Blunt have such amazing chemistry, giving the film a delightful romantic comedy feeling and making you root for their romance, amongst all the exciting and explosive action. The supporting cast is also a lot of fun, especially Hannah Waddingham, who is initially unrecognizable with Gail’s big throwback brunette haircut, and constantly gulping down a massive Diet Coke. The film also has some great surprise cameos.

Universal has yet to announce a physical media release date for The Fall Guy, but it is now available to rent or own on Premium Digital. The 4K picture features a solid presentation, with a stunning and nearly flawless picture. Colors are bright and beautiful, and all of the action is captured with an excellent level of detail. I can’t imagine this film looking any better. The Atmos soundtrack provides clear dialogue throughout, and makes you feel like you are right there in the middle of the action, giving a fully-immersive ambiance and rocking soundtrack.

The release includes a new extended cut of the film, which integrates 20 minutes of additional footage not seen in theaters back into the movie. I had originally seen the film in the theater, and only 2 longer sequences immediately stood out as I watched the extended cut. So I’m guessing the remaining 10-or-so minutes are smaller things added here and there. As of July 2, 2024, the Digital release has been expanded to include a lot of entertaining bonus material, such as an audio commentary from the director and producer, a gag reel, alternate takes, and an hour of behind-the-scenes featurettes.

What’s Included:

Specs and availability of bonus features varies by provider, the following taken from Apple TV.

Film: (2:06:54)

2160p / Widescreen 2.39:1
Dolby Vision / HDR10
Audio: English Dolby Atmos, English Descriptive Audio, French (Canada) 5.1, Spanish (Latin America) 5.1
(Note: the Extended Cut is only offered in English)
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish

Extras:
UPDATE: As of July 2, 2024, the digital release has been updated to include bonus material, which we’ve detailed below. Content accessibility may vary by provider.

Extended Cut (2:26:26)
Accessible via the extras, this Extended Cut of the film includes an additional 20 minutes of footage not seen in theaters added back into the film, for even more action and laughs.
Gag Reel (4:37)
Fun with the cast as they flub lines, make each other laugh, deal with misbehaving pets and pests, and more.
Alternate Takes (5:54)
Collection of fun, alternate versions of some of the lines that didn’t make it into the film.
Stunts on Stunts: Breaking down the Action (19:08)
The cast and filmmakers give a detailed look into what was involved in executing five of the film’s biggest stunt sequences. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director/producer David Leitch, stunt doubles Logan Holladay & Ben Jenkin, producer Kelly McCormick, 2nd unit director/stunts designer/coordinator Chris O’Hara, stunt coordinator Keir Beck, SFX supervisor Dan Oliver, animal wrangler Kirstin Feddersen, assistant stunt coordinator Leo Stripp, SFX mocon/electronics supervisor Dan Carlisle, stunt performers Bob Brown & Troy Brown, and stars Ryan Gosling (“Colt Seavers”, producer), Stephanie Hsu (“Alma Milan”), Emily Blunt (“Jody Moreno”), Hannah Waddingham (“Gail Meyer”) & Aaron Taylor-Johnson (“Tom Ryder”). Note, episodes 4-6 of the documentary series Action (which is currently streaming on Peacock) provides an even more in-depth look at the making of some of these stunt sequences. Play All, or select from:
- City Truck Jump / Sidewinder (3:02)
- Garbage Bin (3:58)
- Boat Chase (3:33)
- Car Jump (3:42)
- High Fall (4:53)
Making a Meta Masterpiece (16:05)
The cast and filmmakers discuss the premise of the film, how the project came about, paying homage to the original series, the meta nature of the film, casting the movie, the characters, doing the stunts, filming in Australia, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director/producer David Leitch, producers Kelly McCormick & Guymon Casady, 2nd unit director/stunts designer/coordinator Chris O’Hara, stunt double Justin Eaton, and stars Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Stephanie Hsu, Winston Duke (“Dan Tucker”), Ben Knight (“Dressler”) & Adam Dunn (“Nigel”).
How to Break a World Record (6:06)
Join the crew as they prepare to break the Guinness World Record for the number of rolls in a cannon roll. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director/producer David Leitch, 2nd unit director/stunts designer/coordinator Chris O’Hara, stunt double Logan Holladay, producer Kelly McCormick, and stars Ryan Gosling & Emily Blunt.
Nightclub Mayhem (3:31)
A look at creating the brawl inside the nightclub. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director/producer David Leitch, 2nd unit director/stunts designer/coordinator Chris O’Hara, fight coordinator Sunny Sun, producer Kelly McCormick, stunt double Justin Eaton, and stars Matuse (“Doone”) & Ryan Gosling.
The Art of Doubling (4:24)
The cast and filmmakers discuss the role of the stunt double, and what stunt double Ben Jenkin brought to the film. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with 2nd unit director/stunts designer/coordinator Chris O’Hara, stunt doubles Ben Jenkin & Justin Eaton, director/producer David Leitch, producer Kelly McCormick, and star Ryan Gosling.
Making Metalstorm (4:33)
The cast and filmmakers discuss the wild cowboy and aliens sci-fi film-within-the-film. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with producer Kelly McCormick, director/producer David Leitch, costume designer Sarah Evely, production designer David Scheunemann, SFX supervisor Dan Oliver, and stars Ryan Gosling, Winston Duke, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham & Emily Blunt.
Falling For The Fall Guy with Bob Reese (4:25)
Professional parkour athlete/influencer Bob Reese recreates some of the stunts from the film, including a dive roll through a scissor-lift, a Kong vault over a block, and a high fall stunt, jumping off of a building.
Feature Commentary (Theatrical: 2:06:24, Extended Cut: 2:26:26)
Husband and wife team, director/producer David Leitch and producer Kelly McCormick, provide a fun and informative commentary on both cuts of the film (the commentary is just edited down for the theatrical cut). It’s an entertaining track, with lots of interesting behind-the-scenes stories about the production.

Final Thoughts:

My Rating

Film:

Video:

Audio:

Extras:

Highly Recommended

The Fall Guy is a thoroughly-entertaining and delightful experience, finding this excellent and seamless balance between action movie and rom-com, while also making a lot of fun meta-references to the stunt and movie industry. The cast is amazing and have great chemistry, and the stunts are epic and amazing. I first saw the film in the theater, and was excited to check it out again at home, and it didn’t disappoint the second time around. The digital release looks and sounds fantastic. As of July 2, 2024, it now also includes a lot of wonderful behind-the-scenes bonus material in addition to the extended cut of the film. The Fall Guy comes highly recommended for anyone looking for a hilarious rom-com/action movie. I will definitely be making this movie a regular watch.