Free Guy

Make no mistake. Free Guy is an effects filled summer blockbuster as cynical as they come, with some crude crowd pleasers lobbed in for good and extra dollar measures. But that is all pretty much forgiven because it is such a wonderful good fun film with an impeccable cast that has you rooting for them and against the villain. It is as simple as that?

Well, no it isn’t. Guy (Ryan Reynolds) is bank teller who does the same thing every day, regardless of the mayhem going on around him and when the bank is robbed, he’s on the ground chit-chatting with his friend security guard Buddy (Lil Rey Howery) until it’s all over.

Guy is an NPC (Non-Player Character) in a huge planet-spanning world building game called Free City. A virtual nobody who just gets on with things until that is he meets up with Molotov Girl (Jodie Comer), an avatar for Millie, whose interest is that she is convinced she and former partner Keys (Joe Keery) were screwed over for their version by Antwan (Taika Waititi) the CEO of Free City owner Soonami.

Keys has surrendered to Antwan now working for him having pretty much given up on his rights. Millie hasn’t and is convinced that there is proof that their version is still present as it is the fundamental structure on which Free City is constructed. Slowly things begin to dawn on Guy and the adventure starts to take shape.

Shawn Levy and writers Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn have covered their bases here not shirking away from the gaming tech language that will be a bonus for those in the know, while the rest of us wonder what it all about. It’s not however to the detriment of the film as when the real-world gamers are on screen it’s an affectionate hoot, in particular when mum is in the background and their conversation translates to the game via their avatar.

Reynolds is relaxed and in a fun mood nicely playing the character as happy-go-lucky developing as the film progresses though never loosing that innocent charm. Same too for Comer in the dual role of gamer and avatar; assertive and tenacious. The scenery chewing is left to Waititi as the panto villain though with quite a nasty streak.

Viewers may pick up vague nods to The Truman Show and They Live (The avatars are distinguished by their sunglasses which when picked up by Guy open up his world.)

The effects are what you’d expect though they don’t feel overwhelming or take over the film in the way that you might expect. That’s mainly down to the cast who are pitch perfect in tone and complemented by a terrific score by Christopher Beck.