The Mosley Review: Free Guy
There are so many films about being in a video game, befriending a character in a video game or being friends with a character that's from a different game. If that sentence makes since to you, then you can definitely list off the films I just described. The common denominator from all of those films is the amount of fun they are and how they keep the balance between just comedy, fun action and sometimes dramatic self discovery. Some of those films tend to fall apart somewhere in the middle after all the nostalgia is gone and the story decides to get serious. This film takes all of the best things about all of those past films and consistently keeps the heartwarming storytelling fun across the entire film. There are gaming references, quips about the real world and a very strong love story that instantly engaging. This film was truly hilarious, magical and just makes you feel so good by the end. Its so much fun and led by a perfect cast that kept you enthralled in the story.
Ryan Reynolds was fantastic and so charming as the Non Playable Character Guy. Reynolds is so good at being the loveable and fun dude in the room and just when you thought it has gotten formulaic, he finds a way for to rope you back in. Guy is truly the embodiment of the nicest and warmest NPC you could ever meet in a video game. I loved watching his road to self discovery and the genuine love he has for another player. Lil Rel Howery plays his bestfriend NPC Buddy and he was just as outstanding as Reynolds. He is just a ray of positivity and the best wingman you could ask for. The two of them together shine so bright and I could almost watch a sitcom starring them. Jodie Comer was excellent as Millie/Molotov Girl and in the gaming world of Free City, she kicks some serious ass and I loved her chemistry with Guy. Their connection is so strong and it kicks off the romantic comedy bits of the film with a bang. In the real world, I'm glad that the same consistency was there with her determination to get what is owed to her. I'm glad they didn't do the "make her gorgeous in the game, but make her dirty or ugly in the real world" thing. Joe Keery was perfect and fun as Keys. The scenes between him and Millie were what drove the plot along and I loved there history together. Utkarsh Ambudkar was great as Mouser and he was excellent as the fellow coder of the Free City. He was funny, a little douchey, but you still love him for his irreverent comments. Taika Waititi was perfectly eccentric and despicable as the creator of Free City, Antwan. Taika is at it again with his playful nature, but he nails the really seedy nature of the heads of studios. He may have been funny at times, but he earns the title of villain. Channing Tatum is in the film as a players avatar and I won't spoil who his real world counter part is. I forgot how ridiculously funny and charming this man is. He has a scene that nearly steals the film that is hilariously awkward and based on fact.
The score by the great Christophe Beck was excellent, funny and epic at times. The visual effects in this film were impressive and I loved that they weren’t cartoony because "you're in a video game". The action in film was great, but it was not the center of attention and that's what made this film special. It goes from an action film to a coming of age story to a heist film and finally to a charming romantic comedy and it all works in harmony which was insane! There are alot of cameos in the film and I won't spoil the biggest surprises, but I'll say that the People Magazine's 2008 Sexiest Man Alive has a hidden cameo in the film. Its obvious and yet hidden. This was definitely one of the best feel good films I've seen in a while and its definitely going on the best films of the 2021 list. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
