Fall further in love with The Fall Guy in new trailer

Action fans, rom-com lovers, Ryan Gosling devotees, and stunt performer supporters alike, rejoice! There’s a new trailer for what is becoming one of the most hotly anticipated films of the year, The Fall Guy. David Leitch’s big blockbuster romance premieres in theaters May 3, but it debuted to warm reviews out of SXSW. Much of that is due to the charm and humor of Gosling and Emily Blunt, who proved their chemistry at this year’s Oscars. But it’s also due to Leitch’s vision for a “love letter to action movies and the hard-working and under-appreciated crew of people who make them.”

Gosling plays “Colt Seavers, a battle-scarred stuntman who, having left the business a year earlier to focus on both his physical and mental health, is drafted back into service when the star of a mega-budget studio movie—being directed by his ex, Jody Moreno (Blunt)—goes missing,” per the film’s synopsis. “While the film’s ruthless producer (Hannah Waddingham) maneuvers to keep the disappearance of star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) a secret from the studio and the media, Colt performs the film’s most outrageous stunts while trying (with limited success) to charm his way back into Jody’s good graces. But as the mystery around the missing star deepens, Colt will find himself ensnared in a sinister, criminal plot that will push him to the edge of a fall more dangerous than any stunt.”

In the words of Mr. Harry Styles, the trailer is very much presenting a “movie that feels like a movie.” In a classic protagonist narration, Gosling reflects on his “hero’s journey” (“Okay, I’m not the hero of this story. I’m just the stunt guy.”). His friend (Winston Duke) lists the many classic elements of the tale, including “drugs, bad guys, and murder.” Emily Blunt professes that “This is an epic story of cosmic proportions,” later adding that there’s “Nothing like a good twist.” And don’t forget: “We need a big finale,” according to Waddingham. Luckily, there are lots of explosions, stunts, and general action to choose from.

In his B+ review for The A.V. Club, Matthew Jackson writes that “The Fall Guy is not going to go down as an instant classic in the action movie world. It’s just a bit too wrapped up in its own cleverness and plot density for that. What it will do, though, is deliver a blast of fun at the movies worthy of the biggest tub of popcorn you can find. It’s two hours of movie stars being absolute charm machines, and sometimes that’s all you really need.”