Falling Down (1993) Reviews

• Since when did the average hard working middle class person became the bad guy?

  Fella_shibby2018-10-07

  First saw this in the mid 90s on a vhs. Revisited it recently on a blurry. I thoroughly enjoyed viewing this again after so many years. This movie is still relevant today no matter which country u belong to. Michael Douglas' hypnotic performance is the highlight of this film. Everything about him, from his half sleeve plain white shirt, to his briefcase, his lunch, his specs and his torn shoes all screamed average middle class. The best line of the film is when Douglas asks Duvall, I am the bad guy? I don't know but I was laughing my guts out while viewing this film. The guy who played the neo Nazi was creepy n hilarious. The cosmetic surgeon's house scene, the golf ground scene, the burger scene n the store scene, I found all these scenes darkly comical. Douglas' middle class person act was mind blowing. He potrayed the character who has to go thru everyday nuances very well. Working hard still ain't able to purchase a house, non payment of rent, road n traffic issues, employment issues, etc. The effect of consumerism has on each of us is dealt with properly in this film. The funny part is that the rich doesn't care about inflation or monetary probs, the poor gets government n ngo's aid while the middle class is stuck between em like a sandwich. The government doesn't care about him, they care about vote banks and that lies within the poor community.

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• An affirmation of decadence

  josevcutts2004-11-22

  Take the hottest day of the year, a traffic gridlock, cracked pavements, dirty streets, unwarranted hostility and a general feeling of being short changed. Then add the frustrations of having an estranged wife and child, an extremely jaded and unbalanced mindset, and the frustration of being obsolete with no marketable skills. Set them against the decadent back drop of modern day LA where if you are 'Not economically viable,' you are of no use, and the result is Falling Down. The tag line 'The Adventures of an Ordinary man at War with the Everyday World,' makes Joel Schumacher's masterpiece sound like the benign story of a working stiff with issues. However Falling Down is a dark and engrossing urban fable, a study into the mind of the disenfranchised and reminder to all that the removal of comfort is a lot closer than we care to believe. Full of clichés, like the cop on his last day before retiring, Falling Down bravely meets all expectations of stereotypes, rather than challenging them, making for a realistic reflection of a failing society. Here, a man in extremis, without the feral cunning or killer instinct required for a life in the street, makes his way on anger and luck alone, somehow surviving to leave a paper chase of violence and destruction behind. Relying heavily on symbolism, illustrating a flip side of America running parallel to the hunky dory world occupied by the successful, the over all message of 'No Matter, Never Mind,' is clear in this world where children play next to vagrants dying from AIDS and Korean grocers can legally steal from the public with their overpriced goods. Michael Douglas displays some hitherto unseen talent as the unbalanced D-FENS, as he casually totes gang weapons (complete with rubber bands on the grips) in his formal shirt and tie, does battle with store owners and comes up against fast food restaurants, homeless people, gangsters and Nazis. Robert Duval is equally brilliant as the desk jockey on his final day, determined to stop anyone else from being hurt, including the perp. There is, of course, a small amount of Hollywood sentimentality thrown in for good measure, however the dynamics of such a strong narrative make this completely forgivable and it's possible to overlook this as a flaw given the film's overall strengths. Praise surely has to go to Ebbe Roe Smith for writing one of the finest scripts ever to grace celluloid. Known for bit parts and cameos, who the hell knows who Ebbe really is? Look on IMDb to find out (if you're a geek like me) or release him into the ether if you don't care. The truth is, he's out there. The question is: Where's the next script? On the whole, Falling Down is a powerful and dramatic indictment of American culture, societal decadence, and the failing values of the West. It's not for everyone and will most certainly offend some, but if approached with an open mind, will provide plenty of fuel for thought.

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• An important look at the decay of society

  baumer1999-06-09

  Falling Down is the kind of film that has much more more happening than many of us want to know about. It is disguised simply as a film about an apparent nut who goes out and tries to right the wrongs that have been done to him and in his trek across Los Angeles he becomes an anti-hero. While that may be true to an extent, read more into it and you can see a film that tries to show us that there is something terribly wrong with how we live. I wasn't alive in the 50's, in fact, I was born in the 70's. So I can't honestly tell you if life was easier back then. But what I can tell you is that times were a bit more simple then. For the most part, you had one income in the household. You had T.V and radio as your entertainment and kids went outside to play. Now you must have both parents working so you can have that double income. Kids are obsessed with the internet and videogames and so on. What does all of this have to with the film? Everything! Falling Down is about the decay in one man's life and how it affects not only him but those around him. There is one very powerful scene in the film that can sum up everything. There is a key moment in Falling Down that is sad in it's reality, but true in it's opinion. Douglas is in a surplus store and the guy running it is a Nazi sympathizer. When Douglass doesn't share his opinions, they get into a confrontation. The guy snaps and tells Douglas to spread against the wall. He obliges and then the Nazi guy wants to handcuff him. He tells Douglas to give him his hand, he does. Then he tells Douglas to give him his other hand. Douglas is supporting himself on the wall in a 30 degree angle and if he gives the guy his other hand " he'll fall down. " Which is precisely what he tells the Nazi guy. This is a microcosm of the film and a microcosm of what may be wrong with not only society but people in general. There is a theory in wrestling that your arms and legs are like a table, if you take out any two of the legs or arms, your opponent falls down and is vulnerable. Same thing with a human being. Take away so many of his limbs ( job, wife, dignity, credit rating, kids, etc. ) and it may be only a matter of time before that person does snap. This movie shows us what happens to one individual that does snap. He wasn't all that bad to begin with, but as time went on and he was " lied " to, he can't handle it and finally one day, he has had enough. I think this film is more important than people realize and if you have only seen it once, see it again. You may see something that you didn't see before. Hats off to Schumacher and Douglas who had the guts to make this film.

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• Excellent Observations of Society

  Beaux2004-01-20

  "Falling Down" is a film that intends to point out the many quirks and oddities of modern urban society. It succeeds in doing so, but one must look carefully. Each situation Bill Foster (Michael Douglas) faces is one that most people can relate to. However, unlike most people he decides to "fight the system" and wage war on the everyday annoyances that we all face. Foster is a People's Champion. To illustrate this, most people who watch this film naturally pull for him and see him as being a hero, mostly out of pure sympathy. However, at the end of the day, Foster is still "the bad guy" for going against the societal grain. Most viewers will find this upsetting or even unfair, considering that he fought back against many criminals and unjust forces. Where Falling Down fails at times is during the scenes where it attempts to do too many things at once. The bits of humor throughout the film are mostly derived from over-the-top scenes, and at times Foster's actions seem cheesy and unrealistic. The fact that the film is two stories in one (Foster and Prendergast) provides a good contrast because the viewer gets to see both sides of the story. On one hand, we see an ordinary family man going bezerk (but in a way most of us can understand) and on the other hand we see a cop who believes Foster is a complete psychopath. Only the audience knows the truth. The film could have done without some of the lame subplots such as Duvall's marriage, even though those scenes illustrate his perception of being "weak" or "whipped". The film sets out to do a lot at once, which is quite necessary to create a thorough storyline, but at times doesn't come out right on film. One scene that I have always found moving and powerful is the scene where Bill Foster sees the man who is "Not Economically Viable" protesting outside of the bank that denied him a loan. As everyone on the busy street goes about their business and ignores this man, Foster (and the viewer) are focused directly on him. Foster obviously sympathizes with this poor, hardworking man who is also being stepped on by society. As the man is escorted away in the police car he looks directly at Foster and says "don't forget me". In a gesture of sympathy and appreciation, he nods to him. The two characters share a connection. It is especially important to notice the symbolism of this scene. Both men are wearing the exact same outfits: a white short-sleeved dress shirt, black tie and black pants. They are on the opposite sides of the street. When they look at each other, even though they are white and black, it is as though they are looking into a mirror and seeing the same thing: a victim of society. Overall, a slightly sad story that tries to do a whole lot, succeeds in most of it and provides lots of entertainment. A good storyline and an excellent observation of modern society.

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• Don't We All Want To Fall Down Sometimes?

  MovieAddict20162002-11-25

  Michael Douglas and Robert Duvall star in a film that portrays life as true, funny and aggravating as it really is. Douglas is wonderful in his role of an average Joe Schmoe gone haywire, and Robert Duvall is vivid and deep as the cop on the chase. Falling Down may have a few incredibilities (though I remember going through a lot of situations in the film Douglas went through-though I never was angry enough to pull a shotgun out), but it's more symbolic than anything. I think the funniest part is the burger restaurant, obviously a mimic of McDonalds, and Douglas' reaction. It's kind of like he realizes, "Hey, I'm this far, why not complain about the burger while I'm at it? It's always bugged me anyway!" Falling Down represents all Americans: the aggravations, road rage we hear about, everything. Every day situations in a new perspective. 5/5 stars- JOHN ULMER

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