After months of delays, director Shawn Levy's highly anticipated newest film Free Guy, roars into theaters from 20th Century Studios. Guy (Ryan Reynolds) is a bank teller who goes by the same daily routine. He wakes up and is cordial to his goldish, orders the same coffee, and goes to his job, where he talks daily with security guard Buddy (Lil Rel Howery). As fate would have it, the bank has daily robberies, which Guy and Buddy do not seem to mind. One day Guy runs past a beautiful woman named Molotov Girl (Jodie Comer) and decides there must be more to life.
The next day Guy decides to take the glasses off one of the robbers, which leads to a relationship of sorts with Motlov Girl. Through a series of events, she reveals to Guy that he is actually a background player in an open-world video game called Free City. The revelation inspires Guy to become the hero of his own story... one he rewrites himself.
Meanwhile, in the real world, Millie Rusk (also Jodie Comer) and the creator of the Molotov Girl avatar, is attempting to sue Antwan (Taika Waititi), the creator of Free City. As she may or may not have information, she created the code for the game with her friend Keys (Joe Kerry), who now works for Antwan. When Antwan discovers this, he decides to replace Free City with its sequel Free City 2. Back in the video game world with no limits, Guy is determined to be the one who saves his world his way before it is too late.
Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn's script for Free Guy may sound somewhat confusing upon reading the plot. However, director Shawn Levy handles it with tact precision. Part of the fun in the film is the subtle nuances the writers have included. Some of the jokes include cameos by the late Alex Trebek, Chris Evans, and Channing Tatum to the gamer who still lives in his parents' house and has no drive in life.
Ryan Reynolds is having the time of his life portraying a video game character and uses his natural charm to elevate the film. The supporting cast all provide solid work, with Lil Rel Howery toning down his usual shtick. At the same time, Taika Waititi is an absolute hoot in the role of Antwan. I was also fond of the arc given to Joe Kerry and Jodie Comer's character as it gives you a reason to root for the little guy.
Free Guy is a fun time and worth the trip to your local theater by successfully mixing action, comedy, and heart.
Final Grade: A
Free Guy opens in theaters tomorrow August 13, 2021