The Stream: A bit too obvious in the overall storyline

The Big Screen: Some good laughs and a sweet tale overall

The Final Bill: A cute, chuckle-worthy, and clever gamer’s delight flick

– S2S: Movie Review
Director: Shawn Levy
Writers: Matt Lieberman (screenplay by), Zak Penn (screenplay by)
Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Taika Waititi
Genre: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 1 hour 50 minutes
Production Companies:
Platform: Released in theaters August 13, 2021
Notable Trailers: The Many Saints of Newark, Jackass Forever, Sing 2, The King’s Man, Ron’s Gone Wrong

A big weekend hit the theater this past freaky Friday. We have the pleasure of reviewing Free Guy. A movie that drove me crazy in the theaters in the big media push last year finally has made it’s way to the big screen. Free Guy stars Ryan Reynolds as a video game bank teller that discovers that he’s actually a non-playable character inside a brutal video game. Blue Shirt Guy feels he’s destined for more but let’s see what he becomes.

Ok, let’s get this out of the way – this movie at PG-13 is so darn cute. It is such a far step from Deadpool or The Hitman’s Bodyguard‘s raunchiness that I forgot that Ryan Reynolds could do a witty comedy without a potty mouth. I wish he’d go back to days of comedies like The Proposal. What a classic! Anyway, the storylines in the film just make you want to say “awwww” by the end of the movie. We have a coming of age, emancipation, and a love story all wrapped in one. Yet, all of it is a new age gamer’s delight. The CGI and animation are similar to many of the worlds of GTA, Fortnite, Roblox and others, which makes this movie very fun. Gamers will definitely watch this flick and say I’ve definitely done those exact things over the years and it just makes you feel good. Other than the gaming nostalgia, the movie just feels lighthearted and makes you feel good.

Nevertheless, the same things that make this movie enjoyable also make it slightly corny, annoying or unoriginal. The comedy through the movie is good, only a few hard laughs but at least, it keeps you chuckling throughout. That chuckle that’s like, “this is a bit corny but cute” *giggle*; or, Ryan’s doing this shtick again but without cursing, *yawn*; or I like you Taika but this is a bit much. On top of that, aside from the cuteness, it feels “been there, done that”. In fact, I found myself saying is this just Ready Player One with just new age games? Unfortunately, it does feel like that movie mixed with other unrequited love stories. That’s saying too much but it won’t hurt you’re viewing pleasure anyway. Either way, the cast does a good job as a whole even if they didn’t have much to work with.

With that said, Shawn Levy, Ryan Reynolds and gang did an great job giving us this Free City world. Free Guy is the type of movie that makes you say, “Aww that was nice” but doesn’t knock your socks off. The plot and writing are a bit obvious and cliché but the overall feel of the movie is so cute. I think this movie speaks more to the young gamer community looking to find their place in the world; but if you are looking for a nice lighthearted comedy, especially if you’re a gamer, check out Free Guy with bowl of popcorn. This is a matinee, family friendly dream.