#BoyfriendMaterial: The Ryan Gosling Podcast

After two long years, #BoyfriendMaterial is finally back to celebrate Ryan Gosling’s starring role in Project Hail Mary! After catching up on two years’ worth of emails (write us at [email protected], and we’ll read it in 2027), we talk about the star-studded talent in front of and behind the camera. We then look ahead to next year’s two (!!) new Gosling movies, as well as other Gos on the Los news. Joe laments that Ryan Gosling gave him even more clothes he can’t wear, while Joey talks about the book (and explains why the movie is better at telling this story). We then break down the plot as we talk about the two timelines, the other astronauts, and Rocky, as well as how Ryan Gosling plays the perfect balance between “scientist” and “stupid human.” Joe vents about the big problem he had with the science of the movie. We talk about Sandra Huller’s scene-stealing karaoke song and how Project Hail Mary manages to be both epic and intimate (often at the same time). We then make a triumphant return to our games, many of which we didn’t remember, and wind up with one of our best Fire Ass Titles in a while. We ask: is there not a single mother at school who has the hots for Gosling? With no Gosling movies slated for release until next year, why not join us over on 2 Fast 2 Forever?

The Fall Guy is in theaters now, so we took a #BoyfriendMaterial field trip to watch it and record this spoiler-filled episode! After welcoming in new listeners in the mailbag — and Gosling’s new era of acting — we catch up on his busy past few months: hosting SNL, presenting and performing at the Oscars, and much more. We admire the stunt work and appreciating the meta levels on display in The Fall Guy, as well as how it blends elements of past Gosling movies. We talk about how cool Gosling looks — almost improbably so — and how fun the stunt dog Jean Claude is. Joey laments a dropped thread/running joke and talks about his favorite moment in the movie (and why it worked so well). We make our picks for the most and least boyfriend material moments and play through all of our games. With no Gosling movies slated for release until 2026, why not join us over on 2 Fast 2 Forever?

At long last, #BoyfriendMaterial is back to talk about Greta Gerwig's Barbie, and we hope this episode is Kenough for you. As Ryan Gosling returns to a supporting role, so, too, do we return to do more promo for our ongoing show, 2 Fast 2 Forever.  We talk about the bonus content that Barbie is getting for its IMAX release, cover "Canadian Gos on the Los" to look at Gosling's upcoming films, and dig into a lot of Barbie-related trivia (most of which is about Gosling).  We start with our very few critiques of the movie before turning the episode into a love-fest as we analyze the target demo(s) for Barbie, determine where on the scale from Mattel's dream movie to Greta Gerwig's dream movie this falls, and lament Hollywood learning the wrong lessons from this movie's success.  We discuss Ken as horse boy, Gosling's many great lines and improvised moments, and Greta Gerwig's "Movie Church." We wonder whether Barbie gets a cathartic release (the way Ken does) -- and whether or not that matters -- and debate whether or not this is Ryan Gosling's best performance. Joe has a revelation while talking about this movie's soundtrack. We play our many, many games.

Hey girl, you feel that? That's an all-new episode of #BoyfriendMaterial about The Gray Man, which marks Ryan Gosling's triumphant return to acting! We're back with a new episode after nearly three years away from the podcast and four years without a new Ryan Gosling movie. After we take a look at his (stacked!) list of upcoming movies, we dive into The Gray Man, now available on Netflix. We talk about Ryan Gosling as John Wick, praise Ana de Armas, and find ourselves not quite sold on Chris Evans. We wonder if Ryan Gosling is the best looking man to ever be shot with a lens flare, admire stuff that we've never seen in an action movie before, and return to the long list of games we totally forgot about. Grab a bowl of cereal and a pair of headphones because #BoyfriendMaterial is back, girl!

After last week's clunker in Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy, we needed something strong to close out the regular run of #BoyfriendMaterial, and we found exactly what we needed in Frankenstein and Me. Before we officially announce the Gossies, count down our favorite Ryan Gosling movies, and burn through a clip show episode, we're headed all the way back to 1996, where a fresh-faced Ryan Gosling was already wooing the ladies with his great hair and killer smile. He isn't the star of Frankenstein and Me, but that doesn't matter. In the end, this is a very sweet and charming kids movie (that still plays well today), and he's great as the best friend of the lead character. From the time he rolls on screen on his bicycle to when he helps try to bring a monster (back?) to life -- and in every classic horror film recreation in between -- Gosling is a star in the making. Also, Burt Reynolds is in this.

Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy isn't Ryan Gosling's worst movie, but it's certainly one of his most uneventful. When we tore through Zac Efron's early work on #ZacAttack, we reveled in finding madness in his early movies. While we've found some of those gems in Gosling's early movies, this one grinded us to a nearly screeching halt. The most surprising thing about Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy is the creative team that put this together... or maybe it's the fact that this movie became a TV show that ran for 26 episodes over two years, and neither of us had heard of it... or maybe that's it's a western set in the in-between era of 1939-1945, where westerns don't normally exist, and which should make it feel unique, but it only makes it feel a bit too modern... or maybe it's...

Before Ryan Gosling was Neil Armstrong, before he was Seb, before he was the Driver, he was Young Hercules. For fifty. Episodes. Of. Television. Made more than 20 years ago and in no way designed to be binged, Young Hercules perpetuates the same story, over and over again, for roughly 17 hours of runtime. Joey saved Joe Two the gauntlet of this watch, hand-picking the series' six best and wildest episodes to discuss on the podcast. They talk about Ryan Gosling's "fire inside," his portrayal of "Dark Hercules" in a dream episode, and his ability to rock out on a lyre. Joey also recaps the best moments that Joe Two didn't sit through, and the two lament that every episode winds up being the same thing: Gosling and his two doofus friends being chased around and tricked by Ares, Discord, and Strife, all set to far too many sound effects.

We are the Titans! Mighty, mighty Titans! Two episodes after talking about Ryan Gosling as QB in The Slaughter Rule, it's time for him to flip to the other side of the ball and line up on defense in Remember the Titans. In this episode, we talk about Gosling getting burnt over and over again in coverage, what position he's best suited for, and what this movie could look like if he played the role of Sunshine.

Considering how incredible Ryan Gosling is in the Believer, it's not too hard to realize why talking about a Neo-Nazi in 2019 isn't a fun topic. We give it the old college try anyway as we admire Gosling's ability to speak Hebrew and his absolute dedication to the portrayal of this conflicted man. Also, Joey pitches a comedy sketch idea inspired by this movie, just to make sure this episode's tone isn't somber from start to finish.

Ryan Gosling diehards know he'd star in a football movie in Remember the Titans (coming up in two episodes), but did you know he stepped up to QB in The Slaughter Rule? In this episode, we learn that one of the Joes really connected with the movie, while the other didn't. They debate whether the well-acted movie is too shallow in other regards, whether we've seen this type of story before, and whether enough was done with storylines and relationships outside of the Gosling/David Morse centerpiece.