Free Guy

 3.5/4

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Joe Keery, Lil Rel Howery, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Taika Waititi

Rated PG-13 for Strong Fantasy Violence Throughout, Language and Crude/Suggestive References

I used to be an adventurer like you.  Then I took an arrow in the knee.

If you recognize that quote from "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim," this is a movie for you.  Although the humor is broad enough to be appreciated by non-gamers, I think those who spend enough time on the Xbox will get more out of the movie.  This is an homage/parody of gaming and gaming culture.  It's not quite as vicious as "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle," but its still funny.  And at times, very funny.

For Guy (Reynolds), every day is the same.  He gets up, gets his coffee, and goes to work.  The fact that the place is robbed multiple times a day is just one of those things.  What Guy doesn't know is that he is an NPC in an online game called "Free City" (translation for non-gamers: NPCs are computer controlled characters that wander around saying few, if any, words to make the game seem more real.  Or if it's "Grand Theft Auto," they're there for the player to shoot in the face with a shotgun so the cops will chase him).  Guy seems happy enough, although he confides in his best friend Buddy (Howery) that he longs to meet his dream girl.  One day though, he sees her, but she isn't an NPC like him.  She's the avatar of a game designer named Millie (Comer), and she has a very specific mission in mind.  And it is certainly not one written by the creator, Antwan (Waititi).

Storywise, director Shawn Levy borrows from many places; some likely, others not at all.  It borrows from obvious choices like "The Lego Movie" (the film is jam packed with cameos and references, some of which are hilarious), "Ready Player One," and, oddly enough, "Pleasantville."  In fact, it follows the Spielberg flick closely enough that a cynic could consider it a rip off, but Levy puts his own spin on it.  While they feel similar, the stories are fundamentally different.

Few stars these days are as bankable as Ryan Reynolds.  It's not hard to see why.  He's handsome (this is commented on repeatedly in the film, although not for the sake of the actor's vanity), charismatic, and when he's on the money, he can be hilarious.  The role of Guy relies on Reynolds's charm and comic chops, and he brings his a-game to both.  When Guy is supposed to be likable, the actor turns on the sweetness.  When he needs to land a joke, he nails it.  Unfortunately, Levy doesn't always keep him in check, and he sometimes starts beating a dead horse.  Like most actors, Reynolds is best when he sticks to a script and doesn't point out what is supposed to be awkward or funny.

As good as Reynolds is, his co-stars are better.  Jodie Comer, an up and coming British actress, is adorable, and manages to out act and steal several scenes from her higher wattage co-star.  This is a part that will get her noticed.  As Millie's partner in crime, Joe Keery from "Stranger Things" on Netflix, is always on target as the geeky best friend who turns out to be something more.  The chemistry he has with Comer is perfect for this movie.  Lil Rey Howery appears to be aping Kevin Hart, and while he has his moments, there are times when he goes over-the-top.  The only one who doesn't work is Taika Waititi.  He is suitably nasty as a villain, but when he goes for laughs, he grates.

What's great about "Free Guy" is that it actually has a story to tell.  Most action films these days think they can get by on special effects and in-jokes (MCU, anyone?).  Not here.  Levy is more ambitious than that, and it pays off.  This is the best time I've had at the movies this year.

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