Those of us who grew up in the 1970s and 80s will likely remember some truly epic TV shows of the time – CHiPs, The Dukes of Hazzard, Knight Rider, The A-Team and Starsky and Hutch, to name a few. Many of those have since been rebooted as films, and The Fall Guy is the latest iconic 80s series to get the big-screen treatment.
First published in the June 2024 issue of Street Machine
The basic premise of the flick follows that of the original series. Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is a sought-after Hollywood stuntman, putting his body on the line in big-ticket films by day, and in his downtime throwing hoops in an awesome GMC K-series pick-up alongside his much-better-half, camera operator Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt).
However, a back-breaking accident sends Colt into a mental and physical downward spiral, until he receives an offer from dodgy film producer Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham). She wants him to head Down Under and reinvigorate his stalled career in a film being directed by his now-ex, Jody, who has supposedly specifically asked for him.
Colt agrees to take it on, figuring the chance to step back into his former role as the personal stunt double for high-maintenance actor Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) could be what he needs to get himself back into Jody’s good graces and help make her directorial debut film, Metalstorm, a success.
The former couple’s reunion is initially a little shaky – it turns out Jody had no idea Colt had been hired. More worryingly, it soon appears that Colt is being set up as ‘the fall guy’ in more ways than one after he’s tasked to locate the AWOL Tom, which is fact an elaborate ruse to frame Colt for the dirty deeds of others.
Colt and his longtime friend, Dan Tucker (Winston Duke), have to engage all of their stunt training and skills to fend off the bad guys in an effort to not only clear Colt’s name, but also help finish Jody’s movie and ultimately win back her affections.
VERDICT: 4/5
As someone whose first celebrity crush was the spunky Heather Thomas, who played Jody Banks in the original TV series, I was probably more emotionally invested than many in the outcome of this film remake.
Fortunately, I can happily report that it’s a winner. Awesome stunts, a witty script, and great banter and screen chemistry between Blunt and Gosling all make The Fall Guy a treat from start to finish. Keep your eyes peeled for a cameo from original series star Lee Majors, too.
VEHICLES:
- 1981 GMC Sierra Grande K-2500
- 2023 GMC Sierra AT4X
- 1973 Holden LJ Torana
- 2023 Dodge Challenger Hellcat
- 1966 Pontiac GTO
- 2010 Hino 500-series
STARS:
- Ryan Gosling
- Emily Blunt
- Hannah Waddingham
- Aaron Taylor-Johnson
- Winston Duke
- Ben Knight
- Adam Dunn
- Stephanie Hsu
DIRECTOR:
David Leitch
ACTION:
Myriad awesome stunt sequences involving both cars and trucks, and a whole pile of supporting action.
PLOT:
After a near-career-destroying accident, a high-end Hollywood stuntman fights a bogus murder charge while rekindling a romance with a lost love.
AVAILABLE:
Streaming from August 2024.
COOL FLICK FACT:
Stuntman Logan Holladay broke the Guinness World Record for the most cannon rolls in a car for his incredible eight-and-a-half-turn roll in The Fall Guy (pictured above).
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