Free Guy
Shawn Levy is the director and producer of the American action comedy Free Guy, which was written by Matt Lieberman, Zak Penn, and Lieberman himself. Jodie Comer, Lil Rel Howery, Taika Waititi, Utkarsh Ambudkar, and Ryan Reynolds all appear in the film. It is about a bank teller who finds out he is a non-player character in a massively multiplayer online game. He teams up with a player to find evidence that the CEO of a gaming company stole the player’s game’s source code. The script was written by Lieberman in 2016, and shortly thereafter, 20th Century Fox purchased it.
After Hugh Jackman introduced him to Reynolds, Levy rethought his decision to reject the script for the film adaptation of the Uncharted video game that he had been working on. Free Guy was one of the first films produced by the studio to continue production under Disney ownership after Disney bought 21st Century Fox.
Between May and July 2019, filming took place in Massachusetts and California. The film premiered at the 74th Locarno Film Festival on August 10, 2021, after being delayed twice by the COVID-19 pandemic. Three days later, on August 13, it was released theatrically in the United States in RealD 3D, IMAX, 4DX, and Dolby Cinema formats. The film made $331.5 million worldwide, despite having a $100 million to 125 million budget.
It received generally positive reviews from critics for its concept, which was compared to Ready Player One (2018), The Truman Show (1998), The Matrix (1999), Grand Theft Auto, and Fortnite. It received a nomination for Best Visual Effects at the 94th Academy Awards.
Plot
Soonami Studios made the online game Free City[8]. Its “players,” who are real-world people who play the game online but live in Free City, wear sunglasses and fight and cause trouble. While living their scripted lives, the non-player characters (NPCs) accept the chaos, unaware that the world they inhabit is a video game. Guy is one of these NPCs. He works as a clerk in the bank in Free City with Buddy, his best friend and a security guard.
Unemployed software developer Millie Rusk plays Free City to find proof that Soonami stole the source code from the concept game she developed, Life Itself, which included novel artificial intelligence techniques for its NPCs. Her friend and co-developer Walter “Keys” McKey is reluctant to help, as he now works in technical support at Soonami. Millie’s avatar “MolotovGirl” catches Guy’s attention by singing his favorite song, “Fantasy”.
Guy then begins to deviate from his programming, accidentally shooting a player, robbing the bank at which he works, and leaving with the player’s sunglasses.
Believing Guy to be a hacker disguised as an NPC, Keys and his coworker Mouser unsuccessfully try to ban him from the game. Guy explores new areas and meets Millie at the stash house of vlogger Revenjamin Buttons by gaining access to the players’ perspective of the game.
There, they attempt to steal evidence that could lead to her source code. Believing Guy to be a novice player, she advises him to level up. Guy quickly rises to fame around the world as “Blue Shirt Guy” as a result of his charitable mission completions, standing out from other players.
Other NPCs Guy interacts with begin to develop self-awareness as Keys realizes that Guy is in fact an NPC. However, Free City 2 will take its place and eliminate all of its NPCs when it comes out in 48 hours. Millie tells Guy the truth about his existence, but he becomes distraught and breaks off contact.
Guy travels with Buddy to obtain the evidence Millie desired from Buttons, who accidentally glitched through the edge of Free City’s map and discovered an older build of Life Itself, recording a video clip in the process. Guy eventually comes to the conclusion that there is more to the existence of an NPC.
Antwan Hovachelik, CEO of Soonami, sees Guy’s popularity as a threat to his plans to release Free City 2, so he orders a server reboot that erases Guy’s memories. When Millie kisses Guy, he realizes who he is again. Guy remembers where an island with pieces of the Life Itself build is, so they try to get there before the Free City 2 launch wipes out all previous content from the servers.
Keys is fired by Antwan, all players are kicked out of Free City, and Dude, a character who looks like a guy, enters the game unfinished. Guy first becomes overwhelmed and then distracts Dude by putting his sunglasses on him. Guy then proceeds to the island. Furious
, Antwan begins smashing the game’s network server racks with an axe in a last-ditch attempt to stop Guy, erasing Buddy and much of the game world, while firing Mouser.
Millie offers a deal in which, in exchange for her creation, he will not sue her for copyright infringement and she will give him the profits from the Free City franchise. Sales of Free City 2 eventually plummet as a result of code flaws and sluggish online play. An embattled Antwan is in the crosshairs, but claims he is a victim of circumstance. Together with Keys and Mouser, Millie releases the independent game Free Life, which features Guy, Dude, and the other Free City NPCs.
Guy reveals to Millie that Keys sent him a love letter in his code. Keys had incorporated what he knew about MolotovGirl’s preferences into an AI routine in Life Itself, which was later incorporated into Free City, thereby explaining Guy’s attraction to MolotovGirl. After Millie leaves the game, she and Keys kiss. Meanwhile, Buddy’s reconstructed AI algorithm is reunited with Guy and Dude.
Cast
Credit – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Guy#Cast
- Ryan Reynolds as Guy / Blue Shirt Guy, a bank teller and non-player character (NPC) in Free City who is initially unaware that he is a video game character.
- Reynolds also provides the uncredited voice and facial motion capture for Dude, an incomplete muscular version of Guy with a blue shirt tattoo on his chest that was made for Free City 2. Dude is physically portrayed by bodybuilder Aaron W. Reed.[9]
- Jodie Comer as Millie Rusk, a player and unemployed software designer looking inside the game for source code to her original game Life Itself, which she co-developed with Keys.[10] In Free City, her avatar is MolotovGirl. Comer wore a short dark-brown wig and used a Southern English accent when portraying MolotovGirl. Comer normally speaks with a Liverpool accent.[11]
- Lil Rel Howery as Buddy, a Free City bank security guard and Guy’s best friend.
- Joe Keery as Walter “Keys” McKey, a developer for Soonami Studios’ technical support department and a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) graduate who co-developed Life Itself with Millie. In Free City, his avatar is described as a “dirty stripper cop”. Keery had previously worked with director Shawn Levy on Stranger Things.
- Utkarsh Ambudkar as Mouser, a developer and Keys’s coworker at Soonami Studios’ technical support department.[12] In Free City, his avatar is a police officer in a muscular rabbit suit.
- Taika Waititi as Antwan Hovachelik, the ruthless, narcissistic, and faux-polite founder and CEO of Soonami Studios who stole the source code for Life Itself to make Free City with plans to have it entirely replaced with Free City 2.[13][7]
- Channing Tatum as Revenjamin Buttons, an avatar in Free City who owns a stash house that Guy and MolotovGirl try to break into to obtain incriminating data involving Life Itself.
- Matty Cardarople as Keith, a 22-year-old gamer who plays Free City as Revenjamin Buttons.
Recurring NPCs in Free City include Britne Oldford as Missy, a barista; Camille Kostek as the bombshell that was originally associated with Revenjamin Buttons and bank robber #3 before befriending Missy; Mark Lainer as a bank hostage who always has his hands up; Mike Devine as Officer Johnny, a police officer that Guy knows; Sophie Levy as a big city dreamer; Vernon Scott as the manager of the bank that Guy and Buddy work at who would get attacked by bank robbers as part of a Free City bonus;
Naheem Garcia as Joe, a convenience store owner whose store is always robbed by the players while being thrown through his window; Anabel Graetz as Phyllis, an elderly cat lady who needs help finding her cats; Ric Plamenco as an ice cream vendor in the part of Free City where no quests are; Kenneth Israel as a businessman; Michael Malvesti as a newsstand vendor; Michael Tow as a man who quotes “looks like rain”; Colin Allen as a shoe store clerk; and Bob Gilliam as a news anchor at FCNN (short for Free City News Network).
Soonami Studios’ staff include Jonathan De Azevedo as Jonathan, the loyal personal assistant of Antwan; Destiny Claymore as one of the artists at Soonami Studios who develop Dude; Minh-Anh Day as a Soonami Studios employee who informs Antwan that no retailer will carry their bloody zombie video game due to concerns about its nature; and Jose Guns Alves as a Soonami Studios security guard.
The film features cameo appearances from gamers and streamers jacksepticeye, Ninja, Pokimane, DanTDM, and LazarBeam who, in the film, provide commentary on Guy and Free City on their respective YouTube and Twitch channels from their own perspectives.[14]
Actor Chris Evans and Good Morning America anchor Lara Spencer make cameo appearances as themselves.[15][16] Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek made a posthumous cameo appearance in his final film role before his passing on November 8, 2020.[17][18]
Other voice roles in the film include Hugh Jackman as a masked avatar in an alley (physically portrayed by Patrick Vincent Curran) who MolotovGirl gets the location to Revenjamin Buttons’ stash house from, Dwayne Johnson as bank robber #2 (physically portrayed by Owen Burke) whom Guy accidentally shoots while trying to claim his sunglasses, Tina Fey as Keith’s mother (physically portrayed by Regina Taufen) who was vacuuming in the background, and John Krasinski as a silhouetted gamer (physically portrayed by Rosario Corso) who comments about Guy and the NPCs alongside the previously mentioned gamers and streamers.[19][16]
Our General Review
Free Guy: A Pixelated Party of Heart, Humor, and High-Stakes Hilarity
Oh, Free Guy, you glorious, chaotic love letter to video games, underdogs, and the sheer joy of breaking the mold! This 2021 gem, directed by Shawn Levy and starring the ever-charming Ryan Reynolds, is like someone tossed a rom-com, an action flick, and a Grand Theft Auto speedrun into a blender, hit puree, and served it with a side of existential glee. Buckle up, because this review is about to go full NPC-to-hero mode, with all the enthusiasm of a kid discovering cheat codes for the first time.
The Setup: Welcome to Free City, Where NPCs Dream Big
Picture this: you’re Guy, a bank teller in a neon-soaked, explosion-happy world called Free City, where sunglasses-wearing “heroes” (aka players) wreak havoc while you dodge bullets and cheerfully offer them coffee. Guy’s life is a loop of mundane bliss—same blue shirt, same latte order, same “Don’t have a good day, have a great day!” catchphrase. Ryan Reynolds plays this non-player character (NPC) with such infectious, puppy-dog energy that you can’t help but root for him, even when he’s just picking up his shoes from the same spot every morning.
But then, bam! Guy spots Molotov Girl (Jodie Comer, serving looks and badassery in equal measure), and his pixelated heart skips a beat. Suddenly, this NPC starts questioning his scripted existence, grabbing a pair of those coveted player sunglasses, and diving headfirst into a world where he can be more than a background character. It’s like The Truman Show met Ready Player One at a rave, and they decided to co-parent a movie.
Why It’s a Blast: The Humor Hits Like a Headshot
Let’s talk about the comedy, because Free Guy is funnier than a glitchy NPC stuck in a wall. Reynolds, as always, is a walking quip machine, delivering lines with the kind of self-aware charm that makes you wonder if he’s secretly an NPC in our world. His deadpan delivery of “I’m just a guy… named Guy” is peak Ryan Reynolds, and every time he’s baffled by the absurdity of Free City’s rules (like why players keep stealing his shoes), it’s comedy gold.
The supporting cast is no slouch either. Taika Waititi as Antwan, the sleazy game developer, is like if a tech bro and a cartoon villain had a baby who loved yelling about “IP” and “sequels.” His over-the-top performance is so unhinged, you half expect him to twirl a mustache while deleting servers. Then there’s Joe Keery as Keys, a coder with a heart of gold and a crush on Molotov Girl that’s sweeter than a power-up candy. And Lil Rel Howery as Buddy, Guy’s best friend, steals scenes with his wholesome loyalty and one-liners like “I’m gonna need a new catchphrase!” The banter feels like a multiplayer lobby where everyone’s mic is on and nobody’s mad about it.
Heart and Soul: More Than Just a Game
What makes Free Guy more than a popcorn flick is its heart. At its core, it’s about finding purpose in a world that feels scripted—whether that’s a video game or, you know, life. Guy’s journey from NPC to hero is so earnest, it’s like watching a golden retriever learn to skateboard. You can’t not cheer for him. His romance with Molotov Girl (whose real-world counterpart, Millie, is a coder on a mission) is surprisingly touching, with just enough awkward flirtation to keep it real. Their chemistry is like Mario and Peach, but with better dialogue and fewer turtles.
The movie also sneaks in some clever commentary about creativity, corporate greed, and the value of “background characters.” It’s not preachy, but it gently nudges you to think about who gets to be the hero and why. Plus, it’s got a meta vibe that winks at gamers without alienating non-gamers—think Wreck-It Ralph but with more explosions and fewer candy canes.
Visuals and Action: A Pixel-Perfect Playground
Visually, Free Guy is a sugar rush. Free City is a vibrant, chaotic sandbox that feels like GTA crossed with Fortnite, complete with tanks, bunny costumes, and random NPCs getting yeeted into the sky. The action sequences are bonkers in the best way—imagine Guy wielding a lightsaber, a Captain America shield, and a Hulk fist in the same fight. (Yes, there are cameos from some very recognizable IPs, and they’re so perfectly timed, you’ll scream-laugh.) The CGI is slick but not soulless, and the final act’s big showdown is like a boss battle designed by someone who mains chaos.
The soundtrack? Pure dopamine. From Maria Carey’s “Fantasy” (used in a way that’ll make you cackle) to a score that feels like it’s hyping you up for a speedrun, the music keeps the energy cranked to 11. It’s the kind of movie where you leave the theater humming and wanting to high-five strangers.
A Few Glitches: Not Quite a Perfect Run
Okay, let’s hit pause for a sec. Free Guy isn’t flawless. The plot can feel like it’s side-questing a bit too long in the middle, with some real-world coder drama that drags compared to Guy’s in-game antics. A few jokes land like a missed jump in a platformer, and the corporate villain arc is a tad predictable (we get it, tech bros bad). But these are minor bugs in an otherwise smooth playthrough. The movie’s charm and pacing keep you locked in, like a kid ignoring bedtime to finish “one more level.”
Why You Should Watch: A Feel-Good Respawn
Free Guy is the cinematic equivalent of finding an Easter egg in your favorite game. It’s joyful, it’s clever, and it’s got more heart than a loot box has microtransactions. Whether you’re a gamer who geeks out over the NPC gags or just someone who loves a good underdog story, this movie delivers. It’s a reminder that even in a world full of scripts, you can grab the controller and write your own story.
So, queue up Free Guy on your next movie night, grab some popcorn (or a blue shirt to wear ironically), and get ready to cheer for the guy who proves NPCs can be MVPs. Don’t have a good movie night—have a great one!
Rating: 8.5/10 cheat codes. A must-watch for anyone who’s ever wanted to glitch the system and become the hero of their own game.