Cole Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is a successful stuntman. Jodie Moreno (Emily Blunt) is an equally successful camerawoman. They date, but the relationship is not a hindrance to the filming process, because they are professionals. But when Cole gets injured, he is out of filmmaking for a year and a half. The only thing that can bring him back to the set is the news that Jodie is now a director and needs professional help. And not only stunt work.
Ryan Gosling as Colt in a still from the movie “Stuntmen”
The name of David Leitch has become synonymous with quality Hollywood action in a very short time. Having started out as a stuntman, Litch worked for a long time as a second director and only after almost a decade and a half of craft work allowed himself to sit in the main chair. It is not surprising that each of his new films claims to be the best in the genre, and Stunt Men is no exception. And given Litch’s professional background, it is quite possible that this is his opus magnum, because now the main character is not a comic book character (“Deadpool 2”), not an assassin (“John Wick”), or even a spy (“Atomic Blonde”), but precisely a stuntman, like Leitch himself 25 years ago.
However, of course, the film is not an autobiography, but an action comedy based on the 1980s American television series of the same name. Cole performs stunts not only on set, but also around town as he tries to unravel the mystery of the disappearance of lead star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). With the actor, too, everything is not so simple, and no one really understands what he does outside the pavilions.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Tom in a still from the movie “Stuntmen”
“Stuntmen” is not reduced to a genre attraction. Of course, the action component of the film is beyond praise, the chase on a garbage truck will probably be included in some specialized textbooks, but for an outstanding film you need something more. For example, the plot and script in “Stuntmen” are also excellent. A twisted detective intrigue, where half of the characters turn out to be not at all what they seem at first glance, on the one hand, deserves some kind words, but on the other hand, it would be dishonest to reveal it before viewing.
Another advantage of “Stuntmen” is humor. The film “Metalstorm”, around the production of which events revolve, is a continuous joke, which only becomes funnier with each repetition. A mixture of “Dune”, “Mad Max” and “Star Wars” looks much wittier than you might imagine. However, there are also plenty of situational gags like a fight with a man in an uncomfortable alien costume in “Stunt Men”. Not to mention the scenes parallel to the filming process of clarifying the relationship between the characters of Gosling and Blunt. Everyone will find their own reason to smile.
Emily Blunt as Jodie in a still from the movie “Stuntmen”
If Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, one of the few recent films with a stuntman protagonist, was a love letter to 1960s American cinema, then Stunt Men is a tribute to 1980s television. Not only to the original source, but also to Miami Vice, and probably to other projects recognizable in the USA. The picture is generally imbued with love – for the profession, for the filming process as such, for a bygone era. “To hell with this toxic masculinity, let’s come to an agreement,” says the villain, who is up to her ears in lies, and a few seconds later she gets punched in the face. From a girl.
“Stuntmen” is suitable for all categories of viewers, from children of primary school age to permanently world-weary cinephiles, from fans of adrenaline action films to lovers of sweet melodramas. The film has just opened in theaters, but it is already clear that it is guaranteed a happy fate – both audience and commercial. If any film deserves leadership in the box office, it is “Stunt Men”.
Text:
Vladimir Burdygin
