Free Guy

 

Ryan Reynolds has real bankability. Not only is he tall, square-jawed and handsome, he chooses roles that call for full-bodied expressiveness. In that way, he's like a latter-day Buster Keaton, whose commitment to physical comedy during the Silent Era is legendary.

Reynolds' most celebrated role is as Deadpool, a costumed crime fighter who put both the "smart" and "ass" in the Marvel Universe as a horribly scarred but seemingly indestructible bad boy / good guy. To my mind, Reynolds IS Deadpool; both seem to be indifferent to others' expectations, plowing ahead, cracking heads and cracking wise.

In Shawn Levy's Free Guy, Reynolds is a non-player character named Guy in a popular video game, Free City, who, following an encounter with a winsome avatar Molotov Girl (Killing Eve's Jodie Comer), discovers he has a mind of his own and does not have to settle for being highly dispensable fodder for virtual gunplay.

Guy's journey to individuation tracks along with the "real world" story of Millie (the player behind Molotov) and her game-writing partner Keys (Joe Keery), who are trying to wrest their original game design from the clutches of a greedy corporate clown played by the always reliable Taika Waititi.

The game-world machinations involve eye-popping visual effects and some pretty heavy social commentary -- mainly personal liberty and freedom of choice. A cameo by another fully committed actor -- Channing Tatum -- is a high-point of the film's second reel, when Reynolds' Guy and his best friend Buddy (Lil Rel Howery), meet an adoring avatar (Tatum) who is taken with Guy's liberation crusade.

It's two enjoyable hours of smirks, slapstick and satire.