“Was that cool? It felt really cool.” —Guy
Today’s quick review: Free Guy. Guy (Ryan Reynolds), a happy-go-lucky bank teller, has his life changed forever when he meets Millie (Jodie Comer), a mysterious woman who reveals that his entire world is actually a video game. Millie, a player from the real world, joined the game to find proof that Antwan (Taika Waititi), the game’s developer, stole her code, but she finds something even more remarkable in Guy: a character who has become self-aware.
Free Guy is a sci-fi action comedy about a character in a video game. Free Guy shows what a video game might look like from the inside: a surreal world where one-dimensional characters act out the same cycles over and over again for the benefit of trouble-making players. Guy loves his life but dreams of something more, and the story deals with the fallout of his meeting with Millie, which gives him the opportunity to break free.
Ryan Reynolds carries the movie. His performance as Guy strikes the right balance between good-natured, clueless, and devastatingly funny. The movie gives him free rein to exercise his signature style of humor, and the movie complements him nicely with video game logic and a slightly absurd world to play with. In particular, Free Guy masters the contrast between Guy’s perspective and the real world, using it for both comedy and emotion.
The rest of the movie shows similar good judgment. The video game aspects are generic enough to accessible, but the details show a real appreciation for the medium. The plot uses the same broad strokes as some other movies, but it puts in enough care and effort to personalize them. Free Guy also walks a fine line with pop culture references and celebrity cameos, sprinkling them in at key moments without going overboard.
Free Guy is a fun pick for anyone who enjoys Ryan Reynolds’ style of humor. The ideas it deals with will be familiar to most audiences, but the heavy comedic bent, internally consistent world-building, and polished script give it an identity of its own. Not everyone will appreciate its humor, which can be juvenile at times, but those who enjoy it will find that the movie hits a sweet spot with its story, action, and humor.
For a more heartfelt story about a man who learns his life is a fake, check out The Truman Show. For a sci-fi video game movie that relies more heavily on action and pop culture references, try Ready Player One. For a sober mystery about life inside a simulated world, try The Thirteenth Floor. For a more surreal Ryan Reynolds movie about a man learning the true nature of his existence, try The Nines.
[7.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6264654/). I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for strong comedy and a nicely constructed story.