‘Free Guy’ is here to play the hero in a pretty chaotic world.
Ryan Reynolds plays Guy – an NPC in an open-world video game called ‘Free City’ – who becomes self-aware and decides to change how he lives his ‘background’ life.
This film is a fantastic example of how effective the medium can be in its ability to provide an escape. It’s fantasy, it’s science fiction, it’s action, it’s comedy, and it’s delightful. Ryan Reynolds couldn’t be more perfectly cast, his happy-go-lucky turned existential character believable at every turn. Meanwhile, Jodie Comer’s Millie/MolotovGirl oozes determination and hardness, but is just as persuasive showing vulnerability and emotion.
Utkarsh Ambudkar and Joe Keery each bring roles necessary to the film’s progression, but the way they’re inserted into the film is clever, providing an ‘outside looking in’ perspective and giving ‘Free Guy’ its full mass. Lil Rel Howery brings reliable comic relief and an extra character to root for throughout the film.
Cameos from real-life gamers and streamers open the world of ‘Free Guy’ up to its audience in the most realistic way, familiar faces playing themselves in the context of the film is refreshing and convincing.
It’s the relatability and familiarity that truly makes ‘Free Guy’ an amusing and entertaining experience. Gaming is taking over the world, and now more than ever (thanks to COVID) people are either entering or venturing deeper into the concept of video games. The fact this was shot before any of us knew we’d be stuck on our couches for months on end makes this film particularly special and serendipitous, not to mention coincidentally empathetic to the world’s current circumstances.
‘Free Guy’ is freakishly meta, full of heart, and a pleasant way to, if only for 115 minutes, press pause on a world permanently stuck on ‘expert’ mode.
★★★★☆ 1/2.
‘Free Guy’ is in cinemas now.
