Battle-scarred stuntman Colt Seavers springs back into action when a movie star suddenly disappears. As the mystery deepens, he soon finds himself ensnared in a sinister plot that pushes him to the edge of a fall more dangerous than any stunt. A film by David Leitch, starring Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Teresa Palmer, Stephanie Hsu, Winston Duke, Lee Majors, Heather Thomas, and Jason Momoa.

A Hollywood stuntman, Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling), has been working as the stunt double for the biggest action star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) for six years. Colt enjoys his job because he has a major crush on the beautiful camera operator, Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), although he never explicitly says he loves her.

Tom comes in to see the footage and complains that Colt’s face appears too much in the camera, which could make the audience notice it’s not Tom performing the stunt. Tom’s producer, Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham), agrees with him that a stunt reshoot is needed to obscure Colt’s face and make it less noticeable.

Colt and Jody exchange flirty conversations through walkie-talkie as Colt prepares to perform a stunt where he will fall off the ledge onto the ground below. He eventually asks Jody if she would like to go to the beach with him after the shooting is over. However, the stunt goes terribly wrong, resulting in a severe back injury for Colt.

Since the accident, Colt gradually withdraws from everything, even though Jodie tries so hard to be there for him. His pride, however, takes hold, and Colt eventually disappears completely from the film industry. He also changes his phone number to ensure no one can reach him, including Jody.

Eighteen months later, Colt now works as a valet at El Cacatúa del Capitan, a family-run Mexican restaurant. He receives a surprise call from Gail, who asks him a favor: to get on a plane to Sydney and work as Tom’s stunt double again. However, Colt refuses. Gail attempts to persuade him by throwing a lot of compliments at his past stunt performances. She asserts that he shouldn’t waste his talents parking cars. However, Colt remains resistant until Gail reveals that Jody, now a debut director, has specifically requested him.

On the day of shooting, Colt learns Gail lied to him; Jody didn’t ask for him, in fact, she doesn’t even know that Gail hired Colt. Later, Colt confronts Gail, and she reveals that the real reason she needs him is because Tom’s missing, as she believes he has fallen in with some dangerously shady people. Gail explains that she can’t call the cops because the studio would find out that the film is way over budget and they will pull the plug. Gail asks Colt to go and find Tom and bring him back within 48 hours, in order to save Jody’s directorial debut film.

Directed by American filmmaker David Leitch from a script written by Drew Pearce, The FALL GUY is a loose adaptation of the 1981 TV series of the same name. It takes us behind the scenes of an action film where stunt performers risk their lives to create thrills for the audience.

The TV series The Fall Guy follows Colt Seavers, a Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a bounty hunter when movie work is slow. Seavers uses his physical skills and knowledge of stunt effects to capture fugitives and criminals. He is accompanied by his cousin and stuntman-in-training Howie Munson, and occasionally by fellow stuntwoman Jody Banks. The series ran for 113 episodes over five seasons, from 1981 to 1986 on ABC. Each episode featured Seavers helping make movies and catch bad guys with his only real superpower: the ability to take a punch. The premise of the show was that Seavers, while always getting the stunt shot on set, never got the girl. He was fated to be the “fall guy”, supporting the leading man but never becoming him. The show explored the lives of Hollywood stuntmen, the unsung heroes who make action stars look good.

As a former stuntman and stunt coordinator, David Leitch brings his expertise to the film. His previous work includes notable films like John Wick, Atomic Blonde, Hobbs & Shaw, and Bullet Train. Leitch effectively translates the action, romance, detective elements, and comedic aspects of the original series into a new story featuring an unsung hero played by Ryan Gosling and his love interest portrayed by Emily Blunt. The film is further enhanced by the comedic timing of Stephanie Hsu during the truck chase scene and a surprising cameo by Jason Momoa.

However, the detective plot lacks twists, which may be intentional, as the main narrative focuses on Colt and Jody’s relationship. The film is still entertaining, particularly due to a scene featuring the dog, Jean-Claude). This canine menace attacks people, specifically targeting their balls, upon hearing a French cue word.

While not quite as memorable or funny as Leitch’s previous film Bullet Train, The Fall Guy feels like it plays it safe within the romantic comedy genre.

The FALL GUY premiered at SXSW on 12 March 2024. The film was theatrically released in the United States on 3 May.