review by Adam Cook Patron
Falling Down 1993
Rewatched Aug 08, 2012
Adam Cook’s review:
Every now and again Joel Schumacher will come out with a good film (I guess if you make enough of them eventually one turns out right) and Falling Down is undoubtedly his crowning achievement. It is a film that borders on wish fulfillment as one man rallies against the constraints and irritations of contemporary life. Whilst D-Fens certainly pushes it too far, and the film does a good job of making him both a sympathetic and psychotic presence, there is an undoubted pleasure seeing somebody push back against the bullshit of modern society.
Michael Douglas has always been somewhat of an underrated actor, perhaps because during his height he gravitated towards rather similar and easy roles. His performance as the unhinged D-Fens is arguably one of his best and certainly most memorable. He captures the seething rage, the sense of injustice and the overbearing hopelessness that D-Fens feels in his slowly unravelling life. Despite the episodic nature of the story you do feel invested in his frustrations, his troubled family life and his desire for a simpler existence. His targets are familiar to many from the annoyance of being overcharged to feeling unsafe in your own home city. Whilst his actions may be extreme the people he lashes out at are normally justified.
Schumacher brilliantly captures Los Angeles during an unnatural heatwave. The maddening and sweltering temperature, the imposing concrete landscape and the multicultural population (whilst perhaps an accurate depiction of cultural divides D-Fens casual racism is the one area that stops him being truly sympathetic). Likewise, Robert Duvall is also excellent in a role that is a deliberate walking cliche.
Falling Down is an attack on modern life, its decadence, corruption and lack of community but above all it’s a hell of a lot of fun.
There's always been one thing that annoyed me a bit in the script and that is the fact that D-FENS already had a history of mental problems. Guess, I would have preferred it more if he had really snapped as a regular joe.
Loved Duvall in this.
Easily Schumacher's finest hour as well as one of my favorite films of all time.
Sergeant Prendergast: Fuck you, Fuck you very much.
This movie rules so much.
@Dirk: A fair point. I can see why they went in the direction they did and it also makes him a more unpredictable character.
@Richard: Only Lost Boys comes close.
I've never been a huge fan of The Lost Boys. I would say A Time to Kill, Flawless, Tigerland, and Phone Booth are all better.
There's only one way this film could have been better
A Shooting Stars episode I haven't seen. :o
Great review Adam. I really appreciated this film.
I honestly think he's made more good films than bad- Flawless, Flatliners, Tigerland, The Lost Boys, Phone Booth...
Also, good review.
Apart from Phillip Seymour Hoffman's performance I thought Flawless was pretty bad as was Dying Young, Cousins, Batman and Robin, Bad Company, Phantom of the Opera, Number 23, Twelve and Trespass.
It is true that he has made a few decent films though.
I go back and forth on his Phantom film. Some days I like it more than others.
I thought it was miscast and the key moments that are impressive on stage just fall flat because they are so easily achievable on screen.
The biggest problem I have with it is Gerard Butler. Bloke just can't sing. He gives it A GO, I'll give him that, but it's just not his calling.
Hi Adam,
I never really liked this movie. It had some interesting ideas, but the scenes were pretty dumb, and when it come to the serious moments it made me laugh.
I never knew this film was directed by Joel Schumacher.