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The Latch

Audiences Are Raving about ‘Free Guy’ Starring Ryan Reynolds and, Frankly, So Are We

September 8, 2021
free-guy-movie-review
20th Century Studios

Ryan Reynolds has been cracking us up for years, between his stand out roles in films like The Proposal, Deadpool or even Van Wilder which we can’t unsee, even though I’m sure many of us wish we could. When he’s not giving us the LOLs onscreen, he’s bringing them to us through his hilarious social media presence, which his wife Blake Lively, is often the target (although she definitely serves it right back). 

In his latest movie Free Guy, Reynolds channels a little bit of Deadpool and a lot of his Canadian charm as he plays ‘Blue Shirt Guy’ who one day realises he has been living inside a video game his whole life — which might explain why the bank he works at is constantly being held up by armed robbers. Blue Shirt Guy decides to step up to the plate and to become a hero of the game, rather than a background player, with the help of Molotov Girl/Millie (Jodie Comer from Killing Eve). Together, the pair seek to liberate Free City from the grasp of the money-hungry Antwan (Taika Waititi), who has turned the game into a soulless cash grab. 

Speaking of cash, if you are keen to save some while still enjoying blockbuster titles like Free Guy at the movies, then you should take advantage of eBay Tuesdays where all eBay shoppers can access $11 tickets for Tuesday screenings of the latest releases. All you need to do is head to ebay.com.au and then click through to HOYTS to book movie tickets for movies like Free Guy for just $11, which leaves you plenty of leftover cash for those all-important movie snacks. Extra large popcorn? Yes please. 

Directed by Shawn Levy, whose credits include Big Fat Liar, Cheaper by the Dozen, the Night at the Museum series, and Stranger Things, Free Guy got off to a great opening weekend in the US, pulling in USD $10.5M including USD$2.2 million in previews in its first day in theatres. Even more excitingly, the film has already been picked up for a sequel by Disney, proving this concept has some serious star power. 

These days, people are all about peer reviews and we are more likely to purchase a product, try a new restaurant or see a new film if other people rave about it. With that in mind, we thought we’d take a look at what audiences have said about Free Guy so far, to help you get even more excited about booking those $11 eBay tickets to go see it. Here’s what they had to say. 

One Twitter user loved the movie so much that she was compelled to jump on social media to sing its praises, writing, “Wanted to pop by the old Twitter machine to say that I saw #FreeGuy last night and ended up *loving it.* Really subversive, powerful stuff in there with some truly funny moments and gorgeous action. Would recommend!” 

 

Another tweeted, “I loved #FreeGuy! it may be my favourite ‘video game’ movie yet. Highly recommend.” 

 

In a glowing review, one moviegoer enthused, “Just saw #FreeGuy and I have to recommend it to every single person on my timeline. Amazingly fun, and it’s extra special for gamers. I wasn’t even expecting all that but it’s a must watch. Do yourself a favour.” 

And even Beauty and the Beast star Josh Gad got in on the love fest, posting a Tweet that simply read: “#FreeGuy is everything.” 

 

The praise for the film, which has been described as a combination of Ready Player One, The Matrix, The Lego Movie, The Truman Show, and Grand Theft Auto, wasn’t just contained to Twitter either. 

The film boasts an impressive 95% audience rating on aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, out of 195 reviews (at the time of publication). 

Kirsten Acuna from Insider, noted that, in addition to being very funny, Free Guy also involves a deeper message writing, “Reynolds and Levy not only made a great video game movie, but also an unexpectedly smart satire on toxic video game work culture without it being boring or tough to understand.” 

Another wrote, “I can’t remember how long it’s been having this much fun at the theatre! Fantastic loud fun!” while another raved “Filled with hilarious moments, a super fun cast, enormous heart and pure joy, Free Guy is an incredibly welcome surprise and an instant action-comedy classic! Ryan Reynolds absolutely KILLS and the supporting cast are all on top form.” 

This could easily have been a smarmy, sexualised, ultra-violent shoot-’em-up with nothing else on its mind,” one viewer wrote. “Instead, the film appears to have been made with actual care, which makes it both charming and genuinely interesting.” 

“Free Guy is as uplifting and humane as it is hilarious and action-packed,” offered another fan. “It’s a film that champions the value of friendship and positivity over division and negativity, a refreshing perspective that feels especially vital in today’s world.” 

Overall, viewers agreed on two things: 1. The film is an absolute laugh riot and 2. Everyone needs to go and see it as soon as possible. 

Ryan Reynolds himself took to Twitter to express his gratitude for the glowing reception Free Guy has so far received, posting, “The reactions, and now attendance, have blown me away. Thank you. It’s heart-warming to see so many people embrace heart-warming.”

So, if you want to contribute to Ryan Reynolds’ happiness — and, let’s be real, who doesn’t want to do that? — then now is the time to book your ticket to see Free Guy, which is now showing in Hoyts Cinemas. All you need to do is simply head to ebay.com.au/hoyts so you can book your $11 ticket thanks to eBay Tuesdays. We’ll see you there! 

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