Spoilers

The A to Z of physical media is going well. So for F, I thought I’d let people pick between four films: The Full Monty, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, 500 Days of Summer, and Free Guy. The winner of the poll was Free Guy—my 2021 golden buzzer pick that I hadn’t seen since its cinema release. So, was it just the hype and a few “ahhhh that’s incredible” moments, or does it still hold up two years later? Is it still fun? Let’s find out together, shall we?

I get that Ryan Reynolds plays the same character in every film—I really, really do. But here, he had no backstory other than being an NPC in a video game, and he completely pulls that off. He could be an NPC. He’s just got this charm and vibe that makes it all work. The rest of his roles can feel overly obnoxious (sorry, Deadpool, but you are), but this Guy? He’s a real guy. I love that he’s actually so much more than he seems. It’s complex but simple—in the best way.

I know we’re supposed to deem some AI as dangerous or whatever, but AI like this has existed in code for donkey’s years. What makes Free Guy so sweet is that Guy was written as a piece of code—a love letter from the game’s creator to the girl he’d always had a crush on. Jodie and Joe, despite not having loads of scenes together, have great chemistry. And yes, you can see the ending coming from a mile off. But when their friend finally goes “finally!”, it’s lovely. It’s even better that she chases after him—and all we see is them meet, not even kiss. It’s wonderful, messy, and exactly what love should be. And I love that Guy, despite being infatuated with her the whole film, is happy to let her live her life outside the game.

I also love that Guy gets his own happy ending. His life in the game—even before “unlocking” his code—was sad and repetitive. But bless him, he and his best friend Buddy get reunited. Their friendship is so pure, and they have some important conversations—about feeling down, about whether there’s more to life. It’s a brilliant relationship. And the moment Guy chooses not to find the McGuffin because Buddy is about to be deleted? Incredible. So I’m thrilled that in the end, they get to walk off together, back in the game.

Taika… oh, wonderful Taika. I bloody loved him as the villain. You could see it all coming a mile off, but he was such a twat and a bastard, and I loved it. Usually, I see Taika in projects he’s made himself, where he plays to his strengths. It’s refreshing to see him work for someone else again (this was before his awards glory), just shouting at everyone and being chaotic.

Free City—the game this is all set in—feels like GTA and Fortnite smashed together. At least, that’s how it felt to me. I love the sunglasses for players, how NPCs repeat stuff when you walk past them, and how every mission resets with the same setup—because that’s how code works. All the players have their own “save room,” too. It’s exactly what happens in video games—you have an inventory. It’s even better when Guy goes viral, and people on TV and YouTubers start talking about him (shoutout to Channing Tatum for those two hilarious scenes). That’s so gaming now: screenshots, hidden maps, fan theories—love it. It perfectly captures the way we play today.

I love how, when Guy gets damaged or “dies” as an NPC, he just wakes up in bed. His closet full of identical outfits—so clever. That’s exactly what games are like. Ever had a Sim marry an NPC, and then when they move in and become playable, you check their traits and clothes and just go, “Nope”?

The storyline about a startup’s code being bought and used without permission? Brilliant concept. We know big companies do this—buy smaller games, strip them for parts, and rebuild around them with no regard for the original. That’s why it’s so satisfying that Act 3 is about proving what really happened—not for money, just to protect their game. It’s the perfect ending.

There’s a lot of violence, but it’s cartoonish, video game-style violence. No one gets hurt in the real world. From car chases to bank robberies to vault break-ins, it’s all so cool and clever. I love how in-game personas differ from real-life people. Tatum’s character is the ultimate example, but Jodie’s contrast is great too. It’s something I try to do—be more confident online. Also: a bunny in a police uniform? Fantastic.

Mariah Carey and pistachio ice cream shot up my favourites list the summer this came out, no joke.

Always be nice to your NPCs—unless they’re on a mission or stormtroopers—because they’re brilliant.

The final showdown between Guy and Dude (the new, jacked-up version of Guy) is so good. I love that everyone booted from the game gets to watch it go down. The Easter eggs in that scene? Phenomenal. There’s so much going on.

And now I can talk about that moment.
WHAT THE SHIT?!
I lost my mind at just Cap’s shield, let alone the fact that Chris Evans was watching it and freaking out. I loved that. The ultimate power move. I know Ryan got his friends into this movie like he always does, but that moment? Phenomenal. I remember losing my shit at the preview, and when I took my sister a week later (she has Chris in her top 3), I knew she’d lose it—and she did.

I often talk about what makes a good popcorn movie… and this is it.

• It’s funny
• It has meaning
• It teaches lessons
• It’s fast-paced
• It’s full of action
• It’s relatable
• It’s an easy-to-follow story

We don’t all have to be Oppenheimer or something deep. Sometimes a fun, joke-filled action film is exactly what we need.

I also love that the other NPCs slowly become self-aware and develop their own code—especially Cappuccino Girl and Hands-in-the-Air Guy. That’s better character development than the most recent Ghostbusters movies.

So, is this still worthy of the 2021 golden buzzer?
Absofuckinglutely.
It’s fun, it makes me smile, and it ends with a sunset, a safe world for the NPCs, justice served to the bad guy, and the real-world couple finally together.
What more could you want from a movie?