The Fall Guy is a silly and messy film, but worth it for the chemistry

Ryan Gosling in The Fall Guy, an unquestionably good-looking film. Photo / Supplied

The Fall Guy is quite silly, largely incoherent and not really worthy of the talents of its stars, Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling. But with Aaron Taylor-Johnson – the rumoured James Bond-to-be – in support, the movie is unquestionably very good-looking. Gosling is Colt Seavers, regular stunt double to Taylor-Johnson’s egotistical film star. Until a terrible accident, Seavers had it all: a thriving career and the love of Blunt’s camera operator Jody Moreno. Eighteen months later, the pair reunite – on the set of her directorial debut, a sci-fi romance in which the jilted director sets her old flame on fire at every opportunity. Seavers just wants to reignite what they had but when he’s involved in a (quite frankly nonsensical) criminal plot, there’s more at stake than broken hearts.

Blunt and Gosling are such endearing actors that The Fall Guy’s plot failings are mitigated somewhat by their mere presence. But this movie about movie-making is all very meta – two characters communicate almost solely in film quotes and there’s an extended split-screen scene which discusses the editing technique, intercut with a plot involving a missing actor, a shady agent and a dog that only understands French. It’s a bit of a mess but some Gosling and Blunt scenes work because of their natural charm. They, plus a pumping soundtrack and some terrific action sequences, help make The Fall Guy a good time.

Rating out of 5: ★★★

The Fall Guy directed by David Leitch is in cinemas now.