‘Free Guy’ is one of the many films that saw its premiere delayed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Initially scheduled for July 3, 2020, up to three date changes have been necessary to definitively set its launch for the next August 18th. In Espinof we have already had the opportunity to see it and I already tell you that it is a great hobby that knows how to take advantage of its stimulating starting point that comes to be a bit ‘The Truman show’ within a video game.
On paper, ‘Free Guy’ is still a vehicle for showing off Ryan reynolds, who came to sign that he had not been so involved in any of his films since ‘Deadpool’. Of course, here he does not play a foul-mouthed superhero, but a non-video game player character who is involved in a journey of personal discovery and a remarkable adventure with the goal of the viewer having a great time.
Serving Ryan Reynolds
In its own way, the start of ‘Free Guy’ follows the tradition of stories with fish out of water, since Reynolds’ character is a nobody called to be one of the background characters in a video game that seems inspired by the ‘Grand Theft Auto’ saga. Therefore, the most vibrant and colorful elements happen as part of the universe that he inhabits. instead of being the axis of the story during its first hour.
It is the actor’s charisma that functions as the main support during a phase in which the viewer must be introduced to an original universe, since ‘Free Guy’ is one of those rare occasions in which Hollywood has no problem in trusting a multi-million dollar budget to a script that is not part of any prior intellectual property. However, the script signed by Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn does not abuse the expository dialogues, finding a balance with the need to advance the story through the actions of its protagonists.
From there, ‘Free Guy’ is right with a mix dominated by comedy and action but in which there is also a certain space for the romantic. Obviously, his aspirations in this way are not very high, but they help to give the final result a certain emotional component so that the story never gets too out of hand and one is always clear about the reasons why he wants to see Guy succeed.
However, the film is much more of Reynolds’ invaluable contribution, because it is true that he is the great star of the function, but both Jodie Comer What Taika Waititi, Lil Rel Howery and Joe Keery They contribute their grain of sand to give more entity to the final result. Personally, I especially enjoyed the obnoxious boss played by Watiti, as he embroiders the character so much that he seems to have been born to play it. In addition, Keery helps keep the film on the ground at all times, while Comer falls in love again with a character on the antipodes of his Villanelle in ‘Killing Eve’ and Howery points out that little point of comic innocence that he so well It comes not to lose the film as the minutes go by.
Very effective
To all this we must add a world of its own, both the one that takes place within the video game and the one that happens in real life, with enough of its own voice to hook the viewer. The film is at all times attractive, often allowing to include more or less background details to give more play. It is true that all this is happening more to the front line as the minutes go by, but it is still a natural consequence of the increasingly active role of the protagonist in the story.
This is something that also extends to the winks that are in the film, becoming more and more direct as the minutes go by until they reach their peak with certain moments that could not remind us more that Disney is the owner of Fox, producer of ‘Free Guy ‘, for a few years now. Fortunately, it does not clash within the ecosystem that had previously created a Shawn levy that he is always very clear that fun is his main objective.
That leads Levy to pose the most spectacular moments with a certain simplicity instead of being seduced by fireworks with which to visually shock the viewer. He knows that the story matters to connect with the audience, even those moments when it may be more obvious or a mere step for everything to reach the desired destination point, and he knows how to maintain narrative control. In return, there may not be any memorable scene in terms of its staging, but it is always functional and provides what each situation requires to keep us entertained.
I don’t want it to sound like a jug of cold water either, but always keep in mind that ‘Free Guy’ is a hobby. Maybe he handled ideas that gave much more of himself, but here the important thing is not to delve into them, but to use them to offer a show to a certain singular point, and I say to a certain point because in addition to ‘The Truman Show’ also Titles like ‘The LEGO Movie’, ‘Wreck-It Ralph!’ may run through your head. or ‘Ready Player One’.
In short
‘Free Guy’ is not one of those films that will leave an indelible mark, but it is great entertainment that knows how to squeeze the lightness that defines it at all levels to provoke laughter and emotion in the viewer. Ryan Reynolds returns to doing what he does best, he is quite well accompanied and as a show he is very showy at all times. An example of good popcorn cinema.