Allan Watched "Free Guy"
Sometimes you need to just sit back, relax, and enjoy some good, positive fun, and despite its flaws, Free Guy provides a good time for all.
Gut Feeling
You will hear the comparison a lot over the next week, but I think there is some truth to it: Free Guy is the Ted Lasso of 2021 films. More on that later.
Free Guy is driven by a good Guy (Ryan Reynolds) who unbeknownst to him, is in a video game. Reynolds is at his friendliest best as Guy, and the parts that center around him in the video game wildly outweigh the weaker storyline that persists as the main plot, despite it being flimsy and cheesy.
The two worlds do live in harmony despite the thin endgame of the film, and the biggest laughs and most sentimental accomplishments of the long awaited comedy occur when those worlds collide.
Life is a Simulation
The story takes exists in two places, Free City, an open world video game where people from the other place, Earth, come to play in a Grand Theft Auto style playground. The game’s inhabitants are the best characters in the film, where Reynolds gets to play and be silly with the likes of Guy’s best friend Buddy (Lil Rel Howery), and players from the real world who get to be badasses who rob, kill, and seduce the Non-Playable Characters like Guy and Buddy.
When Guy decides to take matters into his own virtual hands, he finds himself smack in the middle of a conflict between Earth’s humans who play and build the game. Our other hero Millie (Jodie Cormer) spends the movie trying to find proof that evil tech-lord Antwan (Taika Waititi) stole the games engine from her and former partner/Antwan’s employee Walter “Keys” McKeys (Joe Keery). She does this by being a high-level player of the game, searching the open world for pieces of her game. This battle surrounding intellectual property and capitalism just lacks the punch it needs as the main plot, partially because the film does such a great job of introducing Guy’s journey, that it feels hard to care about the IP battle.
A Good Guy Hero
To go back to the Ted Lasso parallel, Guy being a good fake human is what sucks you into the film, the same way Ted brings you into the Apple TV program. In a world full of evil, a pandemic, and an entertainment landscape that has been dominated by anti-heroes and dark worlds over the last decade, it is refreshing to root for a good guy.
This all plays into why the linear story seems like it is getting in the way of what we care about, Guy! With that said, the end result of the film is very enjoyable, and it sticks the landing well, all things considered. In all, Free Guy is the perfect movie to get you back into theaters (if you feel comfortable), and is yet another example of why we love Ryan Reynolds.
Random Thoughts
I don’t know what the limit is for Ryan Reynolds. By that I mean, he plays a character that seems familiar to everything else he has done, yet Guy still feels fresh and it is by far the best performance of the film.
In terms of the Earthly cast, Keery and Comer do a good enough job of guiding a plot that is cheesy, and they both contribute some good laughs.
I can’t believe I am typing this, because Taika Waititi is a genius and I love him, but he was very blah. The writing did him no favors, as it feels like the hope was if you take a played-out trope of a tech business leader, but let Waititi be himself in it, it would make it good. You certainly hated the character, but maybe not in the full way it was intended.
There are some great appearances from some of the most beloved figures in recent history, and one makes you a little sad. People will hate on the cameos and references because it feels easy, but I enjoyed it.
Seeing a big summer release in a full theater felt amazing.
I too enjoy my coffee with two creams and one sugar.
It feels like Shawn Levy had a lot of fun directing this movie, and you can see it in the choices that were made. There is so much to play with in the world that was created, and they nail not going too far in any direction or overdoing bits.
This movie made me sad because it reminded me, once again, we will never get a GTA VI.
You will be reminded many times over this movie is owned by Disney.
Quick Hits:
How many times have I seen this movie?
First time! Saw the preview viewing Thursday night and can’t wait to watch it again.
Where was I watching it?
I saw it with Kellye at the wonderful large theater at the AMC by me that has the reclining seats. Had a big tub of popcorn, large diet root beer, and even got a little wild with some fruit snacks.
Favorite trivia about the movie
Just the fact that this film was a year late due to the pandemic, and it still did not disappoint. I remember seeing the preview almost two years ago and being bummed it was stalling, but I actually think the world needs this film at this time.
Favorite part
The kiss.
Least favorite part
There is a big build up to an Antwan joke, that even has a break for laughter that you feel in a film where it lingers a second longer before going to the next scene, and no one in the theater laughed at all. It was painful, almost like a comedian bombing in person.
Would I recommend this movie?
Absolutely.
So What Does Allan Give It?
One Gold Thumbs Up! Overall, a score of 81. Free Guy is a wonderful summer film to feel good and have a good time.
