“The Fall Guy” is terrific popcorn summer movie entertainment.

It’s action-packed from beginning to end, with a sweet romance at its center between the movie’s protagonists played by Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt.

The movie is based on the TV show, “The Fall Guy” (1981-1986), which starred Lee Majors, who makes a cameo during the movie’s closing credits scene.

The title refers to the role of a stunt double, or stunt performer, who fills in for the star of a movie during difficult, dangerous and often death-defying action scenes that might involve fighting, racing vehicles, crashing through windows, and leaping from buildings.

The title is about the only thing that the movie shares with the TV show. A deeper implication informs the movie’s plot. It goes to the definition of a fall guy as someone who is set up and takes the blame when the actual guilty person goes free.

David Leitch, director of “The Fall Guy,” knows the territory. Leitch is a former stunt double for Brad Pitt (five times) and Matt Damon (multiple times, including “The Bourne Ultimatum,” 2007).

Leitch co-directed “John Wick” (2014) and directed “Atomic Blonde” (2017), “Deadpool 2” (2018), “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” (2019) and “Bullet Train,” (2022). If you’re a fan of these action comedy drama movies, you will probably enjoy “The Fall Guy.”

The screenplay is written by Drew Pearce (screenplay, “Iron Man 3,” 2013; “Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation,” 2015; “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw”) and Glen A. Larson (1937-2014, screenwriter and creator of the TV series).

In the movie, “The Fall Guy,” Ryan Gosling plays the title character, Colt Seavers, a stunt double for Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), a fictional Hollywood top box office action movie star.

Colt is hired to fill in for Ryder in “Metalstorm,” a science-fiction epic movie directed by Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt) in her feature-film directorial debut. Colt still has a crush on Jody from their previous relationship.

Ryan Gosling (Oscar nominations: supporting actor, “Barbie,” 2023; actor, “La La Land,” 2016, and “Half Nelson,” 2006) and Emily Blunt (Oscar nominee, supporting actress, Oppenheimer,” 2023) peg the charm meter off the scale. Their on-screen chemistry is credible. Gosling is more than Kenough. Blunt is the bomb.

The comedic dialogue is as fast and furious as the action scenes. Gosling’s and Blunt’s timing and reactions are wonderful. They have engaging screen presences.

In one of the many memorable scenes, Colt (Gosling) is sitting alone in his GMC pickup, listening to “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” by Taylor Swift. Jody (Blunt) taps on the driver’s side window. “Are you listening to Taylor Swift? Are you crying?” Jody asks. Blunt is insistent and sincere. Gosling is sheepish and emotional. He’s caught with his heart out. It’s a tender moment amidst the movie’s mayhem. They’re not stunting each other.

Noteworthy in supporting roles are Hannah Waddingham as a film producer and Winston Duke as a film stunt coordinator.

Stunt performers deserve a category all of their own at the Academy Awards. “The Fall Guy” honors stunt performers’ daring work in cinema, which began in the silent movie era of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. Here’s hoping that we hear “The stunt performer Oscar goes to ... “ at the 2025 Academy Awards ceremony.

If you ever wondered, “How did they do that?,” this movie’s for you.

“The Fall Guy” hits its marks at the start of the summer movie season. It’s not mindless entertainment, either. This is the thinking man’s and woman’s action movie. Don’t miss it.

“The Fall Guy,”

MPAA Rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.) for action and violence, drug content and some strong language; Genre: Action, Comedy, Drama; Run time: 2 hours, six minutes. Distributed by Universal Pictures.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

“The Fall Guy” end credits includes outtakes of some of the movie’s stunt scenes. “The Fall Guy” was filmed in New South Wales, Australia. The soundtrack has great needle-drops, including “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” by Kiss, “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC and “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” by Phil Collins. A Blake Shelton cover of Lee Majors’ “Unknown Stuntman” theme song for the TV show is heard at the beginning of the end credits.

At The Movies:

“The Fall Guy” was seen in Dolby Cinema at AMC, AMC 16 Center Valley.

Theatrical Movie Domestic Weekend Box Office,

May 17-19: The big “IF,” about Imaginary Friends and starring the very real Ryan Reynolds, opened at No. 1 with $33 million in 4,041 theaters, knocking “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” from its one-week reign at No. 1, swinging down one place to No. 2 with $26 million in 4,075 theaters, $101.2 million, two weeks, as “The Strangers: Chapter 1” opened at No. 3 with $12 million in 2,856 theaters.

4. “The Fall Guy” fell two places, $8.4 million in 3,843 theaters; $62.9 million, three weeks. 5. “Challengers” dropped two places, $2.9 million in 1,938 theaters; $43.5 million, four weeks. 6. “Back to Black,” the biopic about late British singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse, $2.8 million in 2,010 theaters. 7. “Tarot” dropped three places, $2 million in 2,334 theaters, $15.4 million, three weeks. 8. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” dropped three places, $1.7 million in 1,773 theaters; $194.4 million, eight weeks. 9. “The Blue Angels,” the documentary about the Navy and Marine Corps flying aces, opening, $1.3 million in 227 theaters. 10. “Unsung Hero” moved down four places, $1 million in 1,736 theaters; $19 million, four weeks.

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of May 19 is subject to change.

Unreel,

May 24:

“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,”

R: George Miller directs Anya Taylor-Joy (as Furiosa), Chris Hemsworth and Charlee Fraser in the Action, Adventure, Science Fiction film. The origin story of Furiosa before Mad Max is told.

“The Garfield Movie,”

PG: Mark Dindal directs the voice talents of Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson, Hannah Waddingham, Ving Rhames, Nicholas Hoult, Cecily Strong and Snoop Dogg (in a movie about cats - imagine that) in the Adventure, Comedy Animation film. Garfield’s reunion with his long-lost father puts him in the middle of a heist that tests his nine lives.

“Sight,

PG-13: Andrew Hyatt directs Greg Kinnear, Terry Chen and Fionnula Flanagan in the History Biography, Drama. Based on a true story about an eye surgeon who flees Communist China and becomes an eye surgeon in the United States.

Movie opening date information from Internet Movie Database as of May 19 is subject to change.

Four Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes