Movie Review: Free Guy (2021)

Free Guy (2021) directed by Shawn Levy

Guy (Ryan Reynolds) is an innocuous bank teller who goes through the same routine every day in Free City. He gets up; he says "hi" to his goldfish, Goldie; he eats cereal while watching the news; he gets the same cup of coffee from the same shop; he goes to the bank; he hits the floor each time the bank is robbed (which happens multiple times a day); he hangs out with his friend, who is the bank's security guard, Buddy (Lil Rel Howery). He has this routine because he's an NPC, or Non-Player Character, in a Grand Theft Auto-style game called Free City. The routine is broken one day when he sees the woman of his dreams (Jodie Comer) who sings a song he recognizes as she walks by. She's one of those people who wear sunglasses and don't follow a routine (i.e. an actual human player of the game). He follows her avatar around, breaking more and more out of his routine, discovering his own life, especially when he puts on a pair of sunglasses and sees all video game layer of his reality. She thinks he's another human player who has managed to mask his identity and steal the appearance of an NPC. She convinces him to level up so he can help her on missions, though she is not so much interested in game missions.

She's really Millie, a computer programmer who is searching through the game for evidence that the game producer is illegally using content she created with her partner Keys (Joe Keery). Keys has given up trying to prove the wrongdoing and even works at Soonami, the massive game corporation that sells Free City. Keys finds the company's boss Antwan (Taika Waititi) annoying but just wants to get by on his regular work routine. Keys is reluctantly drawn in to helping Millie as Guy becomes a celebrity player. He's been leveling up by helping out other NPCs and fighting against human players and NPCs as a hero in the otherwise morally bankrupt game. 

The movie follows some standard plot moves and twists and has a good sprinkling of pop culture and video game references. The special effects are very impressive and the premise allows the movie makers to have over the top action sequences. The whole "you should choose how to live your life rather than run through expected routines" message is fairly mundane and unchallenging moral to the story. The cast does such a good job living in their respective worlds that the movie is very enjoyable. It's just the sort of summer crowd pleaser that delivers a fun time.

Recommended.