Home » Reviews » Free Guy review: Ryan Reynolds is a humdrum hero, but trust him to make it entertaining

Reviews

Free Guy review: Ryan Reynolds is a humdrum hero, but trust him to make it entertaining

Shawn Levy brings yet another 'stranger things' filled world but makes it eye-attacking colourful.

3.5/5
Free Guy review: Ryan Reynolds is a humdrum hero, but trust him to make it entertaining

Free Guy/Instagram

Free Guy

Story:

The movie follows Guy (Ryan Reynolds), a bank teller, who learns that he is a background player inside an open-world video game. He decides to take charge of his narrative, rewriting it as he goes forward. In a world with unlimited possibilities, Guy is determined to save his world before it’s too late.

Review:

A film that pays a befitting tribute to other iconic franchises are in vogue, and fans are all for it. Free Guy is one such movie that is unencumbered, and leaves the audience with an important lesson: you should, and can be the hero of your own story. 

Set in the virtual world called Free City, Ryan Reynolds is Guy, a bank teller who learns that he is a background player inside an open-world video game. But he’s a man on a mission who won't be controlled by anyone but his feelings.

Screenwriters Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn’s unique and original screenplay, along with the incredible production design, takes the cake. Together, the duo has created a story that not just talks about the world of virtual gaming but also addresses real-life problems like gun violence, and the need to increase sensitivity towards non-player characters (NPC), who are often killed brutally in action video games. Being a good person in a bad world is what NPCs in several games feature. But, if they had feelings, they wouldn’t want to be victims of the bullets and ammunition. 

 

Free Guy goes deep into the world of coding and how artificial intelligence can be controlled knowingly. Shawn Levy, whose directing credits include the Night at the Museum series and Netflix’s Stranger Things, has deftly taken this amazing world of video games into his hands and delivered it beautifully and imaginatively onscreen.

The virtual world is the creation of Soonami Games’ megalomaniac Head Developer Antwan (Taika Watiti). The actor-filmmaker behind the Thor sequels takes a dig at himself (or the makers?) by making the game Free City 2 ruthless and meaner. Being a badass talented man himself, Waititi did an incredible job as a narcissistic boss.

Reynolds breaks the monotony with his acting and is joined by Millie, the Molotov Girl (Jodie Comer). Comer’s character is on an important mission to unravel the truth if the coding of her game has been stolen. She is not at all a damsel in distress, making her a delight to watch on screen. 

 Comer is joined by Joe Keery as Walter 'Keys' McKeys, who is also stuck in a loop like Guy. He wants to break the pattern and help Millie get back the code used to make Free Guy. It's a very clear role for Keety and in the real world just like Millie, he also fights for the 'power of an individual'.

Reynolds, who has Deadpool to his credit, is nothing like the foul-mouthed superhero, but everything one could ask for. He doesn't ride the entire movie on his shoulders, but it would have been nothing without him. Just like his character Guy, who has a strict routine, and is an ordinary side character, Reynolds finally realises that he is the actual hero of the story.

Utkarsh Ambudkar as Mouser deserves special attention for marking his presence in a movie where each character has been given equal importance to take the story forward. Yet another such character is Buddy played by Lil Rel Howery, who is seen as a risk-free and selfless friend that doesn't mind being in the background. Howery stays true to his character and excels in it.

 This writer did not watch any pre-release material before watching the movie, thus the film made for a surprisingly joyful rollercoaster ride. Comparisons with Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One as well as The Truman Show are likely. However, Free Guy is a blend of the same cocktail and hits the right spot. It also took the writer a while to realise that Guy’s character lives inside a simulation. When the writer was brought to the real world in the movie, it bowled her right over.

Free Guy has a lot of Easter eggs that grab eyeballs in the form of pop culture references, and special appearances by leading Hollywood stars. Don't you dare blink your eyes during one such particular cameo appearance! The film released a month ago globally, and the news of the cameo appearances are out, but the way they have been squeezed in by the makers deserves a chance to be witnessed and no questions asked.

It's hands down a Ryan Reynolds film but each supporting character lighting up the screen with their presence, and all the credit goes to the writers for penning it in such a way.

Verdict:

Trust Ryan Reynolds and enter the world of Free Guy, to have a two-hour-long leisure life filled with a vibrant pop of colours. Exit by learning life lessons in a fun way, and with a plot and visuals that will stay with you for a long time. 

Share

Cast and Crew

Freddy Bouciegues

Tom Williams

Omar Ghonim

Daniel Stevens

Ethan Tobman

Steve Cooper

Josh McLaglen

Beat Frutiger

Leslie E. Rollins

George Richmond

Ryan Reynolds

Shawn Levy

Greg Berlanti

LilRel Howery

Jodie Comer

Molotov Girl

Maurice K. McGuire

Matt Lieberman

Alan Markfield

Utkarsh Ambudkar

Mouser

Joe Keery

Keys

Taika Waititi

Antwan

Channing Tatum

Revenjamin Buttons

Owen Burke

Bank Robber #2

Kayla Caulfield

Soonami Tech

Michael Malvesti

Newsstand Man

Cassidy Neal

NPC - Police Officer

Ryan Doyle

Teen Boy #3

Aaron W Reed

Dude

Camille Kostek

Bombshell

Mike Devine

Officer Johnny

Vernon Scott

Bank Manager

Anabel Graetz

Cat Lady Phyllis

Kenneth Israel

Businessman

Colin Allen

Shoe Store Clerk

Hugh Jackman

Masked Player in Alley

Tina Fey

Vacuuming Mom

Alex Trebek

Alex Trebek

Destiny Claymore

Art Nerd

Seán McLoughlin

Jacksepticeye

Charlotte Levy

Tween Gamer Girl

Terri Schwartz

IGN Reporter

Raj Jawa

Quad-Screen Gamer

Elainy Mata

Quad-Screen Gamer

Jose Guns Alves

Soonami Security Guard

Justin Johnston

Bank Robber #4

Lily Steven

20-Year-Old Female Gamer

Briana Mitchell

20-Year-Old Female Gamer

Regina Taufen

Vacuuming Mom

Michael Balzano III

Bank Business Man NPC

Joey Courteau

Bounty Hunter Avatar

Chris Evans

Chris Evans

Tait Fletcher

Viking Warrior

Heidi Garrow

Avatar

Shannon Hartman

Female Game Reporter

Matthew Hayes

Game Reporter

Daphney Leigh

Meter Maid NPC

Derek Mellor

Street NPC

Joseph Oliveira

Bartender

Leah Procito

Bank Teller

Ethan Rodgers

Soonami Tech

Austin Simone

Tsunami Security Guard

Britne Oldford

Barista

Mark Lainer

Hostage

Sophie Levy

Big City Dreamer

Naheem Garcia

Convenience Store Owner Joe

Ric Plamenco

Ice Cream Vendor

Michael Tow

Rain Man

Dwayne Johnson

Bank Robber #2

John Krasinski

Silhouetted Gamer

Lara Spencer

Lara Spencer

Jonathan De Azevedo

Jonathan

Lannan Eacott

Lazarbeam

Bob Gilliam

Free City News Anchor

Eugene Nomura

Japanese Reporter

Octavia Chavez-Richmond

Real World Coffee Shop Server

Charlie Lehmer

Quad-Screen Gamer

Jack McLaglen

Quad-Screen Gamer

Minh-Anh Day

Soonami Employee

Timothy Smith

Bank Robber #3

Patrick Vincent Curran

Masked Player in Alley

Gabrielle Lorthe

20-Year-Old Female Gamer

Rosario Corso

Silhouetted Gamer

Liam Campos

Kid Gamer

Brett Schneider

Contestant

C.G. Alexander

Business Man NPC

Ralph Ayala

NPC - Security

Jeff Bouffard

Police Officer NPC

Jamaal Burcher

Maintenance Man

Marisa Defranco

NPC

Janelle Feigley

Jogger

Elaine Victoria Grey

Business Atmos

Lizzie Havoc

Avatar

Kimberly Howe

Blue Avatar

Nikki Kim

Soonami Tech

Martin Lee

Bartender

Michael Marchand

Fire Fighter

Adrian M. Mompoint

Avatar

Levon Panek

Avatar

Nathan Porter

Cyclist

Brandon Scales

Businessman NPC

Anastasia Tsikhanava

Avatar

Euri Nomura

Hinata

Ella Faria

Austrian Female Gamer

Piper Acord

Contestant

Domenic Arduino

Soonami Tech

Russell J. Gannon

Coffee Shop NPC

Emma Jonnz

Emma

Vanessa Zamarripa

Mugger

Colette Levy

Foul-Mouthed Little Sister

Christian Cibotti

Taxi Driver

Stephanie Vachon

Real World Girl

Where To Watch