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Falling Down
An ordinary man frustrated with the various flaws he sees in society begins to psychotically and violently lash out against them.
Release : | 1993 |
Rating : | 7.6 |
Studio : | Warner Bros. Pictures, Le Studio Canal+, Regency Enterprises, |
Crew : | Art Direction, Assistant Art Director, |
Cast : | Michael Douglas Robert Duvall Barbara Hershey Rachel Ticotin Tuesday Weld |
Genre : | Drama Thriller Crime |
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Reviews
Very well executed
That was an excellent one.
Better Late Then Never
The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one
I rewatch this movie every couple of years. I remember going to the theatre and coming out thinking... jeez what did I just watch and it stuck with me. There is a lot of social commentary going on in this movie that is as relevant today as it was back in the early 90's.Great acting all around. Really great character development. You get to connect with the main character and the frustrations he is feeling only to have things change as the movie progresses.This is really a drama about a man trying to keep his life from falling apart while coming up against the ills of society.
For what it is, 'Falling Down' is a very well made, brilliantly acted, effective film. But I think it could've been better had a few things been tweaked just a little in the narrative. I think the story element of William's past aggression against his wife and daughter only harms the film. Without that element, the film would've just been about an ordinary working class every-man who reaches boiling point and lashes out against the unfairness of society. Most of the issues William raises and complains against during his murderous rampage are genuine issues that every ordinary citizen is afflicted with and can understand. Without his inherent and massive flaw, the question that each viewer is asking himself/herself which is 'Should I be rooting for this bloke?' would've been far more compelling. The domestic violence angle just kills the moral dilemma as the film answers that question for you. This is exactly why I love 'Fight Club' as it had the conviction to raise very genuine working class issues as well as show the disastrous effects of indiscreet violent rebellion without trying to glorify or vilify the protagonists.Having said that, I have to again mention that 'Falling Down' is a very enjoyable watch. Right from the first scene, Joel Schumacher makes the viewer feel the scorching L.A. heat radiating off the screen. The camera is fluid and Schumacher makes use of interesting colourful texture to make L.A. a living breathing character in the film.Michael Douglas is brilliant. It's a very politically incorrect character, so an actor needs a compelling personality to make the character engrossing. Duvall is also good as Prendergast who is the sort of the mirror opposite of William.So this is a good film and worth recommending, but it has a weakness, the absence of which would've made the film great.
Getting straight to the point with this review, the performances are well-acted, the acting is not the problem, it's the story. This entire movie is negative, from start to finish we see nothing but the main character falling into negative experiences one after the other. The majority of the people in this movie including minor and major characters are angry for no reason other than the humid weather playing a part, i'm sorry but hot weather is no reason to become angry, if the weather gives you a bad temper then stay at home.Michael Douglas's character was not a nice guy, it is verified during the family video scene, he was controlling and the scene where his mother explains a part of his personality also verifies him not being a very nice person, so why should we as viewers even care about this guy?! I don't know where the director was going with this movie, for a so- called deep film there is no message, if they were trying to get across that people can have mental breakdowns - then that's a pretty weak screenplay.This Flick also has a sad element of the main character constantly talking about "going home" to a place where he is not wanted. It's clear that his career, his wife and child were all he wanted and now that he lost them, he feels there is nothing left, which is not true, you have yourself and you have breath in your lungs, you still have hope, but this movie was not going in that direction.Falling Down is overrated, it's a very angry movie full of hate at every turn.
(Originally reviewed: 21/01/2017) When I see "a Joel Schumacher film" on the front cover I am always optimistic, I did love 1987's The Lost Boys but 1997's Batman and Robin was so bad it could have been a career ender, however I'm proud to announce this picture is one of his finest. Michael Douglas gives a solid, strong performance which shows the true extent of how far a man can be pushed before he loses it, I also admired Duvall's performance as a retiring cop with a rather rude wife. The acting is decent all round with the exception of some schmuck who kept thinking he was something special with ladies and being rude to Duvall, his name does not matter at this moment in time. The picture moves at a brisk pace, and the outcomes of every situation are grounded and most certainly believable, including a slightly sad but well-crafted conclusion. You can empathise with Douglas's character, he may be a bit crazy but he wasn't always unhinged and tense and maybe that has something to do with a restraining order his selfish wife put on him so he couldn't see his daughter. However it's exciting to see what happens next, which is what makes Schumacher a decent filmmaker, he knows how to keep a picture entertaining, for better or for worse. Having said that, I did like most of the dialogue but there was a few lines that bothered me such as when are protagonist's mother yells "What do you want, I'll set the dogs on you" this is aimed at two random people that knock on her door that just so happen to be police officers, I was astonished at what I was hearing. We all know it's unlikely anyone would answer their door in such a manner. Then later on Duvall's character lets his wife know he is going to be slightly late, she replies with "What am I dog vomit", which is just awfully written dialogue in plain sight, you can't forget it because she practically yells it at the top of her voice. Falling Down may have a few flaws, but it's nonetheless a very well-directed picture with respectable performances from Academy award winners Michael Douglas and Robert Duvall.