Directed by: Shawn Levy
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Taika Waititi, Lil Rel Howery, Joe Keery
If you are into the techno aspect of video games, then Free Guy is your movie. I don't seem to be a member of the intended audience. The dialogue and plot are aimed at someone who either works at a video gaming company or plays Grand Theft Auto in marathon all-night sessions. Many of the human characters in Free Guy work are part of the former group, while others like Guy (Reynolds) are, unbeknownst to them, trapped in the world of a video game.
Free Guy centers around NPC's (non-player characters), which are explained as innocent bystanders in video games who are victimized, robbed, and killed by the player characters. Free Guy takes place within the world of a game called "Free City" and the pleasant Guy, who works at the local bank that is robbed every day like clockwork, develops a slow case of wanderlust. Surely there is something more for him in the bigger world. One day on the street, he spots a mysterious brunette (Comer), falls instantly in love, and he breaks from his daily routine to follow her. He is hit by a train for his troubles, but in a plot development owing something to Groundhog Day, Guy wakes up the next morning without a scratch and is up and at 'em again. But this time, he hopes to see the brunette one more time. To the puzzlement of his best friend Buddy (Howery), Guy thinks there is more to life than lying face down on the floor every day while the bank is robbed yet again.
The brunette (named Molotov Girl in the game) is the avatar of programmer Millie (also Comer), who doesn't want to play the game but find the hidden evidence which proves Free City was stolen by the arrogant game publisher Antwan (Waititi). She soon enlists Guy to help her when it becomes clear he will not stop trying to get to know her better. Guy, in turn, breaks from his NPC mold and begins helping those who are targets of the "sunglasses people", or the player characters who make life a daily hell.
Free Guy doesn't really give me much reason to care. The stakes aren't high or potent enough for me to invest my emotions. Even the game itself is a bore. What is the goal? If I played Grand Theft Auto, perhaps that would give me a hint. Ryan Reynolds is likable in his John Ritter-type of way. I stated in the review of The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard that if there were a John Ritter biopic made, Reynolds would be the ideal choice to play the actor. Comer is sweet enough, while Waititi goes over-the-top with the snark as the treacherous Antwan. We're supposed to be happy when everyone finds what they want or gets what's coming to them, but meh.
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