Is the title of one such movie meant to throw us off? Is “free” an imperative verb or an adjective? Perhaps it is a mixture of both, in the end, given the evolution of the main character. Either way, Shawn Levy’s 2021 movie has definitely captured the attention of a vast demographic, due to various reasons. Indeed, the most striking aspect is the fact that the story follows what is known as an NPC (a non-player character in a video game) who gains (self-)awareness and changes his overall destiny on a whim. This is precisely the trajectory of none other than Guy (Ryan Reynolds), whose name dictates the blandness of his life (at least in the beginning) or is meant to “replace” the familiar “Everyman” label, so as to appeal to the modern public. Free Guy has emerged in times when gaming and live streaming, in particular, have never been more prominent (also in the aftermath of the pandemic’s low blows). Young people have increasingly turned their glances towards Twitch or YouTube stre