The Guy is the story of a working man; someone who has been a stuntman and bit-player/extra for decades, but still works 5-days a week huffing boxes at UPS. The hits and knocks of his side-gig have left him with injuries which will only worsen, but he carries himself forward regardless. This profile documentary approach is hardly a new thing, and the polished talking heads approach is par for the course, but yet this works pretty well. I'm not sure if the reasons it does are entirely positive though, as I found it engaging partly for the interest of seeing Donahue in shows I have watched, but more-so for watching someone who is just a cog in a machine. Just like many 'in the industry' he is part of the whole structure making it work, but yet for him personally, he gets the knocks but none of the glory.
Wisely the film doesn't follow this thread, or turn on its subject. If anything, one can forgive its slightly celebratory tone on the basis of Brian more than deserving it. It well put together for this, with glossy clips combined with talking heads, and old footage/photos. It tells a brief story of a life, and celebrates the highs while not totally sugarcoating it. It certainly will mean more to those that can associate with the material, but the positive thing there is that most of us are just cogs in machines, regardless of sector, so it is a film that will produce some reflection even if it doesn't seem to be going after it specifically.
