Free Guy

Name: Free Guy
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comedy
Released: August 13, 2021
Duration: 115 min
Rating: 62
Cast: Aaron W Reed, Alex Trebek, Brandon Scales, Britne Oldford, Camille Kostek

2021

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 51 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 520 Ratings

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7.0

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7.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 520 Ratings

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Free Guy (Trailer 2)

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Movie Details & Credits

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures | Release Date: August 13, 2021 | PG-13

Starring: Aaron W Reed, Alex Trebek, Brandon Scales, Britne Oldford, Camille Kostek, Channing Tatum, Dwayne Johnson, Heidi Garrow, Hugh Jackman, Jamaal Burcher, Janelle Feigley, Jodie Comer, Joe Keery, John Krasinski, Kayla Rae Vesce, Kimberly Howe, Lannan Eacott, Leah Procito, LilRel Howery, Mark Lainer, Matthew Cardarople, Owen Burke, Ryan Reynolds, Seán McLoughlin, Taika Waititi, Tait Fletcher, Utkarsh Ambudkar

Summary: A bank teller who discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game, decides to become the hero of his own story…one he rewrites himself. Now in a world where there are no limits, he is determined to be the guy who saves his world his way…before it is too late.

Director: Shawn Levy

Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comedy

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 115 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Johnny Oleksinski

Aug 12, 2021

The script by Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn is hysterical, but director Shawn Levy must’ve sold his soul to the devil to secure this cast. Read full review

Screen Rant Molly Freeman

Aug 5, 2021

Free Guy is the most creative, heartfelt and perhaps best video game movie so far, the film is fresh and original enough that anyone can enjoy it. Read full review

Clint Worthington

Aug 5, 2021

But there’s something surprising about its approach to both blockbuster filmmaking and Ryan Reynolds star vehicles. It’s at once a Deadpool riff and the absolute opposite, a violent video game movie that’s about how fighting isn’t actually the answer. And what’s more, it commits to those lofty aspirations, couching a sweet little love story in the CG-addled mayhem of a Ryan Reynolds action-adventure flick. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Brian Tallerico

Aug 10, 2021

An enjoyable cast, including movie-stealing work from Jodie Comer, holds it all together, but one can still see just enough glitches in this matrix to wish it was better. Read full review

Peter Travers

Aug 13, 2021

Ryan Reynolds piles on the charm as a bland bank teller who discovers he’s just a pixelated extra in a violent video game. The comedy could have been sharper, spikier and riskier—like ‘The Truman Show’— but this summer funfest goes down easy, even for non-gamers. Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

Aug 5, 2021

Free Guy isn’t going to have many MA theses written about it, but it has entertainment value. Read full review

Rex Reed

Aug 13, 2021

The target audience — people who waste their lives playing video games — might be amused by a movie about devices designed for the sole purpose of destroying everything in sight, but the serious audience the film industry wants to lure back to brick-and-mortar cinemas won’t find much substance here. Read full review

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User Reviews

Jack1s29

Aug 13, 2021

This movie is simply amazing! It shows how funny ryan is and the movie is hilarious and action packed. Definitely one of my favorite movies of the year!

14 of 20 users found this helpful146

Zhoujiaming

Sep 26, 2021

I have watched Free Guy and they look much better than Ready Player One! Change Free City to Free Life!

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

jesclaire2003

Aug 28, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I thought it would suck, but it was actually pretty good. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Parts were funny, scary, and interesting. 9/10. Only thing I didn't really like was the crude language.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

Stream2BigScree

Aug 16, 2021

A big weekend hit the theater this past freaky Friday. We have the pleasure of reviewing Free Guy. A movie that drove me crazy in the theaters in the big media push last year finally has made it’s way to the big screen. Free Guy stars Ryan Reynolds as a video game bank teller that discoversA big weekend hit the theater this past freaky Friday. We have the pleasure of reviewing Free Guy. A movie that drove me crazy in the theaters in the big media push last year finally has made it’s way to the big screen. Free Guy stars Ryan Reynolds as a video game bank teller that discovers that he’s actually a non-playable character inside a brutal video game. Blue Shirt Guy feels he’s destined for more but let’s see what he becomes.

Ok, let’s get this out of the way – this movie at PG-13 is so darn cute. It is such a far step from Deadpool or The Hitman’s Bodyguard‘s raunchiness that I forgot that Ryan Reynolds could do a witty comedy without a potty mouth. I wish he’d go back to days of comedies like The Proposal. What a classic! Anyway, the storylines in the film just make you want to say “awwww” by the end of the movie. We have a coming of age, emancipation, and a love story all wrapped in one. Yet, all of it is a new age gamer’s delight. The CGI and animation are similar to many of the worlds of GTA, Fortnite, Roblox and others, which makes this movie very fun. Gamers will definitely watch this flick and say I’ve definitely done those exact things over the years and it just makes you feel good. Other than the gaming nostalgia, the movie just feels lighthearted and makes you feel good.

Nevertheless, the same things that make this movie enjoyable also make it slightly corny, annoying or unoriginal. The comedy through the movie is good, only a few hard laughs but at least, it keeps you chuckling throughout. That chuckle that’s like, “this is a bit corny but cute” *giggle*; or, Ryan’s doing this shtick again but without cursing, *yawn*; or I like you Taika but this is a bit much. On top of that, aside from the cuteness, it feels “been there, done that”. In fact, I found myself saying is this just Ready Player One with just new age games? Unfortunately, it does feel like that movie mixed with other unrequited love stories. That’s saying too much but it won’t hurt you’re viewing pleasure anyway. Either way, the cast does a good job as a whole even if they didn’t have much to work with.

With that said, Shawn Levy, Ryan Reynolds and gang did an great job giving us this Free City world. Free Guy is the type of movie that makes you say, “Aww that was nice” but doesn’t knock your socks off. The plot and writing are a bit obvious and cliché but the overall feel of the movie is so cute. I think this movie speaks more to the young gamer community looking to find their place in the world; but if you are looking for a nice lighthearted comedy, especially if you’re a gamer, check out Free Guy with bowl of popcorn. This is a matinee, family friendly dream.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

muldjord

Oct 2, 2021

A fun time, although a bit cringy. It almost seems like a parody of itself. And it does go a bit too overboard here and there with the "trying to explain how this works" dialog. I guess they really wanted to make sure the non-gamers in the audience didn't get lost in all of the concepts atA fun time, although a bit cringy. It almost seems like a parody of itself. And it does go a bit too overboard here and there with the "trying to explain how this works" dialog. I guess they really wanted to make sure the non-gamers in the audience didn't get lost in all of the concepts at display. And hoo-boy, is there a lot going on. But it kinda works anyway.

I mean, it's a computer game. The physical disconnect between the game and the real-world servers it supposedly runs on is quite palpable throughout if you know even a little bit about how those things work. But I can look past it and just go with the flow on this one. It was entertaining enough that I kind of just went "Meh, I guess I'll just roll with it".… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

Klenerschluchti

Sep 18, 2022

Its meh, after seeing the trailer the first time i was quite interested in the movie but after finally sitting down and watching it, it turns out to be just very average. I really like Ryan but once again like in all the movies he stars in, he basically just plays himself which is not aIts meh, after seeing the trailer the first time i was quite interested in the movie but after finally sitting down and watching it, it turns out to be just very average. I really like Ryan but once again like in all the movies he stars in, he basically just plays himself which is not a problem for me if the rest of the movie holds up well, but it doesn't. The jokes at times feel so forced and are more reminiscent of a bad slap stick stand up then a properly written comedy, granted its not as bad as lets say Guns Akimbo which was a god awful movie but this one is far from perfect and at worst times it rides a very fine line between bad comedy and just borderline cringy. Overall i'd say you can watch it, if you've got nothing better to do but it is miles off a must watch like some people claim it to be, or to quote a much better series: "Not great, Not terrible."… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Selaxio

Jan 25, 2022

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. si no fuera por las groserias inecesarias esta pelicula seria facil para niños enserio las palabras obsenas estan muy forzadas… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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