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Action comedy

Free Guy (2021): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Where to Watch

Free Guy (2021) movie poster

Free Guy is a 2021 action comedy directed by Shawn Levy, starring Ryan Reynolds as Guy, Joe Keery and Utkarsh Ambudkar. It runs 1 hour 55 minutes and earned $331.5 million worldwide on a $110 million budget. It was nominated for 1 Oscar. Critics gave it 80% on Rotten Tomatoes and 62 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.1/10. Stream it on Disney Plus and fuboTV, or rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.

IMDb rating
7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes
80%
worldwide gross
$331.5M
award nominations
5
Free Guy (2021) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 55m (115 min)
Director
Shawn Levy
Original language
English
Budget
$110M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Free Guy About?

The premise of Free Guy without spoilers. The whole story and the ending explained are in the plot summary further down.

A bank teller living an ordinary life is shocked to discover that he is actually a non-player character within a popular open-world video game. Choosing to break free from his programmed existence, he embarks on an unexpected quest to become the hero of his own virtual world. Along the way, he redefines the rules of the game and confronts the powerful forces that control it, all while striving to understand his true purpose and the meaning of freedom.

Free Guy Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • video game world
  • artificial intelligence
  • bank robbery
  • virtual reality
  • npc
  • bank security guard
  • bank teller
  • violence
  • video game violence
  • hero
  • gun
  • programmer
+38 more
  • algorithm
  • virtuality
  • simulated reality
  • non player character
  • sunglasses
  • bank
  • video game developer
  • fight
  • male protagonist
  • love
  • male female relationship
  • computer code
  • video gamer
  • security guard
  • artificial intelligence sci fi
  • manic pixie dream girl
  • two word title
  • reference to star wars
  • avatar
  • reference to the avengers
  • bridge
  • waterfall
  • sandbox game
  • teabagging
  • blonde bombshell
  • man wears sunglasses
  • woman wears sunglasses
  • muscular man
  • gay villain
  • first kiss
  • barista
  • goldfish
  • grenade
  • explosion
  • ice cream
  • character name in title
  • open world game
  • action heroine
Where to watch

Where to Watch Free Guy

Stream it on Disney Plus and fuboTV, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.

Streaming availability in the US, powered by JustWatch logo

Cast & crew

Free Guy Cast & Characters

Ryan Reynolds leads the cast as Guy, with Joe Keery as Keys and Utkarsh Ambudkar as Mouser. Directed by Shawn Levy; 27 actors are credited in all.

Ratings

Free Guy Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Free Guy 80% on Rotten Tomatoes and 62 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.1/10. Our Echo Score gives it 62/100, strongest in rewatch factor (70) and weakest in story & flow (48).

62 /100

Free Guy Echo Score Breakdown

Free Guy delivers a lively, video‑game‑infused adventure that succeeds most when its high‑energy humor and visual Easter eggs are on display, but it falters in narrative cohesion and tonal consistency. Critics and users alike note the film’s appealing premise and Reynolds' charisma, yet many point to uneven pacing, contrived plot points, and occasional technical slip‑ups. The net result is an entertaining yet imperfect summer entry with modest replay value.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 60

    In terms of direction and production design, the film balances vibrant set pieces with moments of visual clutter. Critics praise the colorful aesthetic and effective use of game‑like graphics, but several viewers flag jarring edits and inconsistent visual polish. The cinematography supports the comic tone, yet the overall craft feels uneven, resulting in a moderately solid artistic execution.

  • Character & Emotion 62

    When evaluating performances, Ryan Reynolds’ charm is repeatedly highlighted as the primary draw, while supporting actors receive mixed remarks. Some reviewers find his self‑referential style engaging, but others deem it overused and lacking depth. Character chemistry is generally upbeat, yet the film’s broader emotional resonance remains shallow, yielding a slightly above‑average character assessment.

  • Story & Flow 48

    The narrative structure draws criticism for its lack of coherence and overstuffed plot. Reviewers note an enjoyable premise and occasional witty moments, but point to pacing issues, forced exposition, and unresolved threads. While occasional clever twists provide brief engagement, the overall story feels crowded and uneven, placing it in the lower‑mid range for storytelling quality.

  • Sensory Experience 68

    Sensory elements, including the soundtrack and visual style, receive generally positive feedback. Critics and users admire the film’s energetic score, frequent gaming references, and vibrant color palette that enhance the immersion. Minor complaints about special‑effects consistency exist, but the overall sensory experience is lively and effective, supporting the movie’s playful tone.

  • Rewatch Factor 70

    Rewatch potential is bolstered by the film’s humor, Easter eggs, and appealing premise, prompting several reviewers to express a desire for repeat viewings. However, narrative flaws and a weaker second half temper enthusiastic repeatability. On balance, the movie maintains a solid replay factor for fans of light‑hearted, game‑centric cinema.

Plot

Free Guy Plot Summary & Ending Explained

What happens in Free Guy from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events and the ending explained. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In Free City, an online open-world video game created by Soonami Games, a complex web of deceit comes to light when its code is found to be derived from an unreleased project named Life Itself, developed by Walter “Keys” McKey and Millie Rusk. As Keys works at Soonami, Millie takes on the avatar of Molotov Girl to search for evidence that asserts ownership over the stolen code.

Full summary

The whole story of Free Guy, scene by scene, with the ending explained

Read the full summary
Box office

Free Guy Box Office & Budget

Free Guy grossed $331.5 million worldwide on a $110 million budget, 3.0 times what it cost. $121.6 million came from the US and Canada and $209.9 million (63%) from the rest of the world.

2021 box office

Worldwide gross

$331.5M

3.0× its budget

US & Canada
$121.6M
International
$209.9M
Budget
$110M
US & Canada 37% Rest of the world 63%
Awards

Free Guy Awards & Nominations

Free Guy was nominated for 1 Oscar. The 5 nominations come from 4 ceremonies, the most at the Saturn Awards 2022.

5 nominations4 ceremonies

Videos

Free Guy Trailers & Videos

40 videos: 3 trailers, 20 teasers, 6 clips, 10 featurettes and 1 behind-the-scenes video.

All 40 videos
Official Trailer
  • Trailer Official Trailer
  • Trailer New Trailer
  • Teaser Trailer Tease
  • Teaser Hero
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Free Guy?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is Guy's profession in Free City?

Cars

Cars in Free Guy

103 cars on screen, including the 2019 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and the Ducati Streetfighter V4S.

All 103 cars
  • 2019 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Free Guy 2019 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Important role
  • Ducati Streetfighter V4S in Free Guy Ducati Streetfighter V4S Important role
  • 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL R231 in Free Guy 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL R231 Important role
  • Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C7 in Free Guy Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C7 Minor role

Seen Free Guy?

FAQ

Free Guy FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Box Office

Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, box office, ratings and awards of Free Guy, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Free Guy?

Free Guy runs 1 hour 55 minutes (115 minutes).

When was Free Guy released?

Free Guy was released on August 13, 2021.

Who directed Free Guy?

Free Guy was directed by Shawn Levy.

More films by Shawn Levy

Who is in the cast of Free Guy?

Free Guy stars Ryan Reynolds as Guy, Joe Keery as Keys and Utkarsh Ambudkar as Mouser, among 27 credited actors.

Where can I watch Free Guy?

In the US, Free Guy is streaming on Disney Plus, fuboTV and FXNow and available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).

How much did Free Guy make at the box office?

Free Guy grossed $331.5 million worldwide ($121.6 million domestic, $209.9 million international) on a budget of $110 million.

How is Free Guy rated?

Free Guy has 7.1/10 on IMDb, 80% on Rotten Tomatoes, 62 on Metacritic and 75% on TMDB.

Was Free Guy nominated for any awards?

Free Guy received 5 nominations across 4 ceremonies.

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