Falling Down

Falling Down (1993)

  • 73% of critics liked it
    (49 reviews)

  • 79% of users liked it
    (87,020 ratings)

It's just not William Foster's (Michael Douglas) day. Laid off from his defense job, Foster gets stuck in the middle of the mother of all traffic jams. Desirous of attending his daughter's birthday party at the home of his ex-wife (Barbara Hershey), Foster abandons his car and begins walking,… More

Play Trailer

R, 1 hr. 52 min.
Directed By
Joel Schumacher
Genres
Drama, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense
In Theaters
Feb 26, 1993 Wide
On DVD
May 26, 2009
Warner Bros. Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

    None of the characters ever rises beyond the level of his or her generic functions, and by the end the overall emptiness of the conception becomes fully apparent.

  • Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine

    Let's face it, there is an element of truth in the character of D-FENS. But it is, finally, tabloid truth.

  • Variety Staff, Variety

    At first comes across like a mean-spirited black comedy and then snowballs into a reasonably powerful portrait of social alienation. The tone is unremittingly dour, however.

  • David Ansen, Newsweek

    A real artist could make something incisive or darkly hilarious out of this moral tightrope act. Schumacher, veering recklessly between social satire, kick-ass fantasy and damsel-in-distress melodrama, plays the game for opportunistic cheap thrills.

  • Caryn James, New York Times

    It turns one man's slide toward madness into a wickedly mischievous, entertaining suspense thriller.

Read all 19 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Samuel R


    You will never find a film which can define our reality like 'Falling Down'. It shows our society, along with most of its problems, of how we are slowly falling apart. With a strong story and brilliant performance by Michael Douglas, this film will make you see more clearly… More

  • Jens S


    A man just had enough of it all and starts walking through L.A. picking up increasingly lethal weapons as he encounters disrespect, violence and injustice and reacts accordingly. Like with every vigilante, the law soon starts to take notice in shape of likable cop Robert Duvall and… More

  • Coxxie M


    Joel Schumacher is an asshole because he likes pissing off audiences by pulling out these great performances from actors, but its totally wasted on a dipshit screenplay, stereotypes and ass-O-nine dialogue. He is a hack, if i may use a term that internet nerds would recognize. its… More

  • Lucas M


    Falling Down, show a good concept and an interesting screenplay, just like Schumacher's direction. Dispite the film presents a stereotype of the ' angry white male' and some decriminalization of immigrants. However, Falling Down, made a demonstration of an american… More

  • Conner R


    Unintentionally hilarious, but I definitely feel that this accurately depicts the mindset of sad, miserable working men of the late 80s and 90s. Stricken with divorce and a series of bad breaks, one man stands alone in the heat of LA. This is in many ways the unofficial sequel and… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

Cast

See full cast

Trailers & Clips

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