Directed by:
Shawn LevyCinematography:
George RichmondComposer:
Christophe BeckCast:
Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Joe Keery, Lil Rel Howery, Taika Waititi, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Channing Tatum, Britne Oldford, Camille Kostek, Mark Lainer (more)VOD (4)
Plots(1)
A bank teller who discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game, decides to become the hero of his own story…one he rewrites himself. Now in a world where there are no limits, he is determined to be the guy who saves his world his way…before it is too late. (20th Century Fox)
Videos (9)
Reviews (12)
Game character Ryan Reynolds has become sentient and decided to do good, and that can have far-reaching consequences in the game. This action comedy relies on a combination of wild action, slightly wacky humor, a bunch of pop culture references, a very plucky hero and an unexpectedly positive atmosphere. It's fun to watch.
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The greatest chance of success that Free Guy has is with gamers around the age of ten, ideally those who play GTA and Fortnite, and who will surely grunt with delight. Otherwise, this is, in every respect, a half-hearted action comedy starring Ryan Reynolds with solid yet forgettable action, a below-average comedy element (pop-culture references and acting cameos are no guarantee that a joke will work and the attempt at striking one-liners misses the mark), and a formulaic story slapped together from motifs that have been seen many times before with better execution. Unlike The Truman Show, Free Guy doesn't work with any satirical level or deeper idea and it looks like Ready Player One’s much poorer and less imaginative cousin in terms of content; overall, its closer to the new Jumanji, with which it shares the inconsistency and ambiguity in the rules of its own fictional world and the ambition to entertain only casually without trying to have any kind of reach. In this respect, Free Guy works as light summer action entertainment thanks to, among other things, the professional technical aspect, an endearing subject about the lives of the game’s NPC characters and a likable cast. Nevertheless, it’s rendered in a way that doesn’t even come close to fully utilizing its strong potential. The result is that wherever Free Guy wants to be fateful, complex and absolutely thrilling, it remains only half-baked, superficial and generally mediocre.
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The atmosphere of Ready Player One visibly radiates from Free Guy, and even though Spielberg's film was much more playful and polished, “Guy” still has its appeal and manages to entertain, thrill, and even move a little bit during its nearly two-hour running time. The film's premise is certainly engaging and despite a few minor quibbles, I was satisfied with its execution. Like RPO, there are more than a few pop culture references and humorous innuendos, especially provided by the main character, Guy. At times the plot was so bizarre that I wondered if Taika Waititi (Antwan) had a hand in the script, while at the same time it felt like a PG-13 version of Deadpool here and there. Ryan Reynolds is a likeable guy and the hitherto virtually unknown Jodie Comer provided a great second to him. Waititi was perhaps a little too theatrical, but whatever. The point about the (un)importance of the individual and the equal chances for each of us was a bit too on the nose, but nicely delivered.
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This feel-good Disney hybrid of The Truman Show and Tron has a nice portion of enticing romance and action in the spirit of Ready Player One. It’s nicely cast and pleasantly colorful, with typically appealing cliché elements and some fine ideas. But the dramatic framework, with the characters’ motivations and reasons for doing what they do, is a bit slapdash. But it’s my problem that I want such a movie to be logically fleshed out and everything in it to make sense.
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How long have I waited for a wild ride like this? I've lost count. There have been countless attempts, but Free Guy nails it. It's nerd heaven on a platter. Someone really let loose and made a film that I'm amazed even exists. If you love games like Grand Theft Auto (GTA) or Just Cause, you're going to be in bliss. For those who don't, it's still a blast of action and effects — digital overload and all. This movie is bursting with ideas, taking jabs at everything and everyone. Watching Ryan Reynolds as Guy, an NPC who starts to become self-aware, is an absolute delight from the moment he appears. And with a stellar cast including Jodie Comer, Joe Keery, Lil Rel Howery, and Taika Waititi, everyone is spot on. After all the chaos and fun, it’s surprising to realize that at its core, it’s a romantic film. Free Guy is full of surprises and the kind of movie you'll want to watch over and over, enjoying every scene, the fantastic soundtrack, and the feeling that this movie is something special. I've put this film right up there with Shaun of the Dead — it's that good.
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