by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
When was the last time you saw a trailer and just fell in love with the potential of a film? When I first saw the trailer for Free Guy, I was just enamored by the concept and the hilarious potential of such a concept. Ryan Reynolds as an NPC in an open world online game obviously based on Grand Theft Auto? How could this not be fun?! Reynolds’ charm in the trailer looks off the charts and you have plenty of other talented people in front of the camera as well. As a semi-regular gamer since I was a kid, I was ready to see a fun send-up of gamer culture and gaming experiences. And when I went to the drive-in to check this film out, it sure did meet the lofty expectations and hopes that I had!
As a gamer, there are so many fun little moments throughout the film that felt so familiar and resonant (and in turn, hilarious) to me. I remember playing GTA with my brother (I mostly looked for hidden packages because I enjoyed the challenge), but seeing players just randomly running around hitting people or stealing their vehicles is all so familiar. Free Guy takes these moments head-on and has plenty of fun with them. I couldn’t help but chuckle whenever Reynolds took a drive by punch from a player. The film is also deeply rooted in the cutthroat world of game design and programming, which becomes the bedrock for the greater conflict of the film. This conflict isn’t particularly fresh in the world of cinema, which is particularly critical of corporate greed, but this has a fun take on it that still packs some serious emotion. I would be doing a disservice to speak too deeply about the fun cameos and references you get in this film… so I will leave it at, you will have plenty of surprises along the way.
With plenty of fun entries in his filmography, director Shawn Levy brings energy, fun… and a surprising heart! Levy has done this with surprising films like Real Steel and smash hit shows like Stranger Things. The pop culture references are aplenty, but mostly avoid feeling too “corporate” and shameful. They feel like there is some true earnestness behind them. The tone walks gently between being silly and absurd and heart-filled earnestness. This movie can be dumb, but in a fun way. It can also be emotional and meaningful… in only a slightly sappy way. The film breezes by with plenty of energy that Levy brings.
This film is fun with a capital “F”, but does it come together narratively? At first glance, it seems so original, since not many films have really taken this approach to video games. The truth is though, the film can feel derivative in many ways. The story feels distilled by a steady mixing of The Truman Show, The Matrix, They Live, and The Lego Movie. Even if it is not the most original in ideas, it is so much fun that you can (mostly) get past it. At its core, there are really two plots. One focuses on a Her-style love story between humans and AI. This love story is full of charm, and I bought into it easily. There are a few surprises and subversions that help it avoid some of the problematic aspects of a person falling in love with a machine. Reynolds and Jodie Comer’s chemistry does plenty of the heavy lifting. Then you have a thriller of sorts that sees Comer’s character desperately trying to find proof that Taika Waititi’s eccentric and smug game developer stole her code. This is the plot that feels a lot less fresh, but I was still invested because of the impact on its characters, who are the real highlights of the film.
When it comes to the characters, the cast is able to breathe life into them (even those who are not truly “alive”). Reynolds feels like the perfect choice for this character of Guy (who was probably written with Reynolds in mind). His ability to sell his overly-sincere dialogue that occasionally gets surprisingly edgy is just unmatched. Reynolds brings a sense of presence that channels earnest characters while also casually sending them up. Comer is also great in this film as a genuine soul who wants love and recognition… while also being a badass in the game. Lil Rel Howery is the loud and sweet best friend in Guy’s life, and he is charismatic enough to make it work well enough (even if he lacks depth). Joe Keery of Stranger Things fame is a charming addition, especially as he becomes a bigger force in the narrative. Then you have Waititi. I highly doubt most of his dialogue was written before his casting because I can hardly imagine anyone else being able to deliver it. His character Antoine is a real-life cartoon villain without any depth, but at least Waititi is fun in the role.
So… are you going to seek out this zany and heartwarming adventure? If you are hoping for laughs, some emotion, and plenty of absurd surprises, Free Guy is probably right up your alley. Where it lacks fresh new ideas, it makes up with buckets of charm. This might not have the most depth out there, but it is clever enough to dish out plenty of laughs and surprises along the way.
Grade: B+