Paola Barrenechea

Took me a little bit to get to watch this one—wish I had made the effort to catch it in theaters. What a movie. I had read some reviews beforehand that described it as a “love letter” to stuntmen, and that’s not only accurate but deserves even more praise. As a VFX Compositor, I had the honor of working on this amazing piece of cinema before being affected by the layoffs that have been devastating this industry. While I sadly didn’t get credited for my short time on this project, watching this film reignited something inside of me. It’s been a few months since then, and I had taken a step back from any VFX-related work. Watching this movie reminded me of why we do what we do and how the magic of cinema inspires us all. This movie has it all: action-packed scenes, a love story that keeps you rooting for the characters, comedy, fantastic performances, an engaging plot, stunning visuals, ingenious editing, and, most importantly, a heartfelt recognition of the incredible work stuntmen do. In a time when Hollywood seems to be in decline, The Fall Guy stands out as a beautiful gem that unfortunately isn’t getting the recognition it deserves. I highly recommend it to anyone. Again, I wish I had made the effort to support this movie and watch it in theaters.

I have to start by saying that I didn’t read the book this movie is based on. My main reason for watching it was my long-time crush on Dylan Sprouse from his Suite Life days. Unfortunately, Dylan Sprouse is probably the only redeeming aspect of this film. The movie requires such a high level of suspension of disbelief that it becomes one of the most unrealistic and unrelatable experiences I’ve had in a while. The dialogue is painfully bad, and the plot lacks coherence, making it hard to follow or invest in. The main character comes across as quite unlikeable, though it’s hard to pinpoint whether this is due to the script or the acting. Additionally, there’s absolutely no chemistry between her and any of the other characters, which makes their interactions feel forced and hollow. In summary, despite Dylan Sprouse’s presence, the movie falls flat in almost every aspect, from writing to character development. It’s a disappointment that fails to capture the charm or intrigue that one might expect. Specially after reading so many other reviews saying that the books are actually quite good.