Displaying items by tag: Emily Blunt

THE FALL GUY

US, 2024, 126 minutes, Colour.

Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Teresa Palmer, Stephanie Hsu, Winston Duke.

Directed by David Leitch.

A big-budget, Northern Hemisphere summer blockbuster, action and romance – and plenty of stunts – for a happy popcorn audience. And based on an 8os television series with Lee Majors.

The fall guy is usually the one who has to take the blame but the emphasis here is on stunt men who have to do all kinds of literal falls for the action sequences of the movie. Actually, later it is revealed that Colt Stevens, longtime reliable stuntman, is actually the fall guy for a murder.

And it was filmed in Sydney! Action on the Harbour Bridge. Elaborate futuristic science-fiction stunts in front of the Opera House, action chases on the harbour.

And the star is Ryan Gosling. For 20 years he has been a very serious actor, able to do comedy, and hitting the headlines as Ken, I’m just Ken, in last year’s very popular Barbie. The Fall Guy won’t dent his popularity at all. All kinds of stunts, some deadpan lines, some pining for Jody, the camera director who is now making her first feature film, Metalstorm, an action show which looks like a minor variation on Dune. And she is played with charm and energy by Emily Blunt.

One of the main attractions for The Fall Guy is the range and extent of so many of the stunts, many going on for quite a while. The director of the film, David Leitch, was a stuntman and body doubled in the past, even in Sydney for The Matrix films. One can tell that he is very enthusiastic about all the stunts. And, he was one of the powers behind the original John Wick, so is not afraid of violent confrontations. And, there are quite a lot of those, always serious but is a lot of tongue-in-cheek humorous touches..

Television audiences will have seen Hannah Waddingham in the popular series, Ted Lasso. Here she is the big, upfront, producer, spurring people on, sometimes sweet-talking them, other times manipulating them, ruthless. And, as the action goes on, we discover that she is even more ruthless! And the hero of Metalstorm, is show pony, Tom Ryder, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, full of himself, prone to flattery, unscrupulous – and sporting a very broad Matthew McConnaughy kind of Texan accent.

And the romance pervades the whole film, stuntman and director pining for each other, split, gradually coming together (symbolised by the split screen sequence where with all their talk about the plot of the film and happy ending, they gradually walk towards each other!).

There will be many more American summer movies like The Fall Guy – but this is the one that we have this year. And a drawcard for American tourists to Sydney to see the sights where Ryan Gosling went into action!

1. A popular blockbuster? Action, stunts, intrigue, murder, romance? And a tribute to stunt experts and their performances?
2. Hollywood, the studios, the sets, Sydney, Harbour Bridge, Opera House, harbour, the use of locations?
3. The musical score, songs and lyrics, the theme for the stunts, the theme for Jody? Background to the action?
4. The opening, colt, personality, appearance, manner, getting ready for the stunt, relationship with Jody, her camera work, his voice-over explaining the situation? The harness, his fall, breaking his back? 18 months away, valet parking, the actor who recognised him? The message from Gail inviting him to come back, saying that Jody wanted him as she was directing Metal Storm? The sneer of the actor, Colt in the car swerving? Response to Gail, flying to Sydney?
5. Jody, with the camera, Gael encouraging her, her first feature film, onset, acting like the Dir, discussing the scenes, with the stunt experts, the graph assistant and his abusing people and her rebuke, the action sequences? Setting it up, suddenly seeing Colt, her not expecting him, her reaction?
6. Colt in Sydney, agreeing to the stunt, meeting up with Dan, their discussions, the car and the role, is seeing Jody, her reactions?
7. The romance theme, at the opening, the separation, her reaction, his reasons, the songs and the themes, the conversations about the screenplay echoing their romance, happy endings, the split screen sequence, coming together, the gradual mellowing, the work on the film, his stunts, her reliance on him? The karaoke, his not turning up, her song, upset, in the screenings, ignoring his phone calls? The shock of his being accused of murder?
8. Colt, the stunt work, at the front of the Opera house, the details of the stunt work? Stunts in action, the fights in the hotel room, Alma and the deal, the chase, the stunts, the Harbour Bridge, the streets and crashes? The issue of the phone?
9. Tom Ryder, self-satisfied, star, absent, Colt set to find him, Gail and her intervention, his going to the room, the body in the bath, camera capturing him, seeking the room, the drug connections after his going to the club, the thugs in the truck, his being captured?
10. The revelation of the truth, Tom Ryder, killing his new stunt double, his motivations, the revelation of his setting up Colt is the fall guy? His security henchman, vicious?
11. Colt tied up, dust with petrol, ready to be killed, his blowing the flame to the villain, the petrol in his mouth? The boat, guiding it facing backwards, getting loose, the pursuit about the harbour, the explosion, presumed dead, the media and the reports, the finding of his jacket, a sign for Jody?
12. The final plan against Tom after his return for the film, the setting up of a scene, the close-ups, trapping him, setting him up with the wire, the drive, his confession, the actual stunt and his reaction?
13. Gail, setting up Colt, giving him the plane ticket, her pretences, the meeting with Jody, the fight, unmasked?
14. The film a success, starring Jason Mamoa, the scenes, the reception?
15. The humour of the final credits, the repeat of so many of the sequences – and then the sudden scene of Alma taking stock of the situation and calling for Jason Mamoa’s agent?

PAIN HUSTLERS

US, 2023, 123 minutes, Colour.

Emily Blunt, Chris Evans, Catherine O'Hara, Andy Garcia, Jay Duplass, Bryan D'Arcy James, Amit Shah, Chloe Coleman.

Directed by David Yates.

Here is a drama that focuses on the opioid crisis in the United States (and beyond). This is a fictionalised drama about a young woman, Liza, working in the club, with an ill daughter, who is propositioned by a businessman in the club, makes contact with him, looking for a job. She is played by Emily Blunt. He is played by Chris Evans.

Liza is shrewd, fabricates an education background, auditions well, especially with the founder of the company, Jack Neel, played by Andy Garcia. The company is just starting, producing drugs, looking for outlets, promoting the drugs with doctors, offering them benefits.

The drama shows how easy it is to be caught up in the enthusiasm of big profit, underestimating the moral approaches of the company directors. Liza find she has a flair for influencing doctors, a talent for plausible explanations. The film has an interesting supporting cast led by Catherine O’Hara who plays Liza’s mother who becomes involved with Dr Neel as well as becoming a member of the sales staff.

Ultimately, there are moral issues, doctors and their downfalls, arrests, exposures, court cases, prison.

Since 2020, the opioid epidemic, the proliferation of oxycodone and fentanyl, have become key to some documentaries, a television miniseries, other fiction films. The focus is on the Sackler family who developed the opioids with great business success but with moral challenges. Award-winning documentarist, Alex Gibney, probed this in The Crime of the Century. Celebrated photographer, Nan Golden, also made a devastating exploratory and accusing documentary, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed. Netflix also has a six part series, Painkiller, starring Matthew Broderick, a docudrama about the Sackler is. The theme was also present in the thriller, Crisis, with Gary Oldman.

Pain Hustlers is interesting and enjoyable as a drama – but, it raises the very important issues of opioids, medication, exploitation, financial interests.

(Direction by David Yates who made the last four Harry Potter films and the Fantastic Beasts series)

1. Based on true story and court cases? Other films on this theme?
2. The US, drugs, prescriptions, deaths? Investigations?
3. Florida, the atmosphere, homes, companies, officers, promotions, court? The musical score?
4. Liza Drake, agent background, living in the garage, her daughter, Phoebe, epilepsy? An exotic dancer? Her life and prospects? The encounter with Pete? The offer? Her being ousted and her car taken, at the motel?
5. Peter Brenner, customer, relationship with Liza, opportunist, his work for the company, with Jack Neel?
6. The company, Zanna, the situation, start-up, investors, money, drugs and marketing, contact with doctors on promotion?
7. Liza, meeting with Neel, Pete falsifying her resume, her qualifications? Jack Neel, accepting her? Setting a target, five days, her not achieving it, Phoebe and her seizures? The exploitation?
8. Dr Lydell, Liza and the meetings, listening to his discussions with the cancer patients, persuading him, invite him to speak, not a success? Pete and his continued persuasion, the growing number of clients, prescriptions?
9. The team, the range of recruits, the training, their mission, Jackie’s presence?
10. Exposure, Neel and his favours, Pete and the CEO recording discussions, the range of clients?
11. The role of Jackie, her relationship with her daughter, granddaughter, their interactions, the attraction to Jack Neel, the affair, sleeping with him, her becoming part of the team, her being fired?
12. Phoebe, the seizures, need for an operation, the situation, financial?
13. Liza and the death of her friend’s husband, hostility, the need for a further exposure?
14. Liza, her actions and decisions, taking the documents from Pete, Neel isolating himself, yet the exposure through the past emails?
15. The issue into more, its history in the US, the principals going to court, prison sentences?
16. Liza, 15 months in prison, getting out, with her mother, a new beginning?