The Fall Guy turns the summer blockbuster into an earnest love letter to the movies

There’s a shot near the middle of The Fall Guy where a soaking-wet Ryan Gosling emerges from the Sydney Harbor, a white shirt plastered to his body. Behind him, the iconic Sydney Opera House stands bathed in the light of the raging flames of a nearby boating accident. 

Then, my jaw dropped, and I uttered something to the effect of “Jesus Christ.” Because Gosling and filmmaker David Leitch, himself a former stuntman, know exactly what they’re doing. And it’s not merely making the heart of anyone with a pulse race a little faster (although, yes, obviously). 

With this shot, Leitch delivers what makes The Fall Guy such a winning proposition — Gosling, at last, bringing all his strengths to bear in one project. He gets to embody his full potential here — as a drop-dead gorgeous leading man, an action star in a moment of triumph, and a winking comedian, poking fun at his own image.

In many ways, this sums up the appeal of The Fall Guy, a joy-ride of a summer blockbuster that packs all the right punches from its action sequences to its chemistry-laden central romance to its meta love for the movies and the unsung heroes who make them feel real.

The film, inspired by the 1980s TV series of the same name, follows Gosling’s Colt Seavers, a stuntman who suffers a terrible on-set accident and then is recruited out of retirement to help rescue the debut directorial effort of his lost love, Judy Moreno (Emily Blunt), by tracking down missing leading man, Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). But when Ryder’s disappearance brings danger to Colt’s door, he has to fight to save himself and the woman he loves.

Gosling does, in fact, do many of his own stunts here, including riding a piece of sheet metal like a wakeboard (the credits take care to show us what was him and what was a stunt double, of which there were at least eight). The glee with which he hurls himself through glass balconies and the beauty with which he takes a punch only heighten the film’s riotous sense of fun.

For decades, Gosling has been bringing movie star charisma in spades. But The Fall Guy feels like a pinnacle of sorts: Colt Seavers is the apotheosis of all Gosling has to offer. His adrenaline-fueled world-weariness is a potent post-modern blend of Harrison Ford cynicism and Tom Cruise everyman machismo, with goofy, stone-faced humor as the cherry on top.

From The Nice Guys to Barbie, Gosling has proven his comedic chops, but he gets to ratchet up his deadpan delivery and panache for physical comedy to the extreme here. The Fall Guy is a vehicle worthy of his multifaceted talents, and he drives it like he stole it. Who else could make crying to Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well (10-minute version)” or being interrogated by a goon squad so riotously funny? 

Gosling is perfectly paired with Blunt, who infuses Jody with brightness and grounded professionalism. It’s refreshing and downright inspiring to see such a capable, brilliant female director character on screen. Blunt’s Jody is not merely skillful; she’s innovative and warm, neither a tyrant on her set nor a pushover. With Jody, Blunt gets to dispel the myth of the male genius director, all while sporting fashionable Greta Gerwig-worthy jumpsuits and investing as much thought into shooting record-breaking cannon rolls as crafting a satisfying love story.

One of which she gets herself, threading the needle of heartbreak and attraction as she wrestles with Colt’s sudden return to her life. Blunt and Gosling’s chemistry is the stuff of rom-com dreams, a warm, grounded affection evident between them in every scene. There’s a spark there, yes, but there’s also something deeper, a tenderness and intimacy that goes beyond a mere sexual connection. That’s not to say they’re not sexy together; their clenches are full of passion (amped up by wind generated by helicopter blades). But they’re also able to channel that chemistry into the “com” half of the rom-com equation, making hilarious comedic bits out of heartbroken karaoke sessions and (multiple) unexpected reunions. We’re invited to have fun right along with them.

Winston Duke also shines. The imposing build that made Black Panther’s M’Baku a thirst trap is repurposed into his work as loyal stunt coordinator Dan Tucker. Duke’s charms and mischievous sense of humor get their time in the spotlight (especially with Dan's penchant for increasingly silly movie references), showcasing his sweeter side.

If the movie has any faults, it’s in its pacing, spending a hair too long on exposition. But once the real stunting begins, things move at an adrenaline-fueled clip toward its explosive ending.

With The Fall Guy, Leitch has composed a heartfelt love letter to his first family behind the camera — the stunt crew. From Colt’s impassioned monologue about how messed up it is that there’s no Oscar category for stunts to the sheer, simple act of making their dangerous work visible, Leitch shines a light on the crew members who put their lives on the line to make movies. He calls attention to stunt protocol (all the thumbs-ups!) while delivering action sequences that are pure giddy popcorn entertainment.

The Fall Guy is a peek behind the curtain of movie-making, giving audiences a glimpse of how the sausage gets made, nailing the industry’s peculiar blend of monotony and high stakes. It also romanticizes life on a set, the exhausted, late-night conversations, the adrenaline rush of nailing a oner, and the harried excitement of operating a camera on a rig amidst a crowd scene. Every frame is a testament to Leitch's love for movies — and a reminder of why we should love them (and the people who make them), too.

This meta ouroboros, movie-within-a-movie structure only works because The Fall Guy is such unabashed fun packaged in solid, old-fashioned filmmaking. That’s not to say there’s no real stakes. There are (certainly more than many franchise films where characters seem to have nine-plus lives). But The Fall Guy wants to celebrate the blockbuster, not shame it. And it does so with a wickedly smart script from Drew Pearce (the movie has one of the most divinely ridiculous, satisfying examples of planting and pay-off in recent memory).

The Fall Guy offers a potent blend of action and romance, as refreshing as one of its touted “spicy margaritas.” Sure, it’s got a little kick, but mostly, it exists to ensure that anyone who consumes it has a fantastic time. Grade: A-

Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more.

Related content:

• The Fall Guy cast actual stuntmen in supporting roles: ‘It's life imitating art’
• 'The Fall Guy' breaks Guinness World Record for stunt previously held by James Bond movie
• The Fall Guy filmmakers break down Ryan Gosling's high-flying stunts in first trailer