Falling Down (1993)

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
  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 with the world around you.

• 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
  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 tries to find the man. The problem is that Michael Douglas' character has the audience on his side each time he beats up a gang member or a Nazi store owner and then immediately loses it again when he starts to creep out his estranged family. At the same time each encounter with possible hostage tries to make the point that there isn't a bad person at work here. That may be intentionally so, but it makes it all more confusing and harder to care for the man. Of course the film has a few smart things to say about the human indifference in everyday urban life and the threshold of violence, but the ending turns out a bit too predictable.

• 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
  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 also sad that in going to watch this on Youtube, i found nothing but comments like, "Thumbs up if you would have shot that ugly Jap in the mouth!" which is just "ironic as fuck" to me. so it seems that the more you understand Schumacher's films, the less you will like them. oh, and at the end after (spoiler spoiler spoiler) Douglas gets plugged, we have to see the stupid woman cop being rolled out to an ambulance with tubes up her nose like David Arquette at the end of every Scream movie. so Schumacher is like, "don't you guys just fucking hate these ignorant gang members and non-english speaking store-owners but goddamn, will you show some sympathy for the heroes with the twisted ankles please?"

• 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
  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 nightmare in day light with a violent, dirty, full of cold blood, unethical and unjust society that better the dark humor of this movie atmosphere. Fresh.

• 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
  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 update to Taxi Driver with a lot more craziness. Michael Douglas really makes the character believable and even likable to a degree, you really feel him break and subsequently turn into a raging lunatic. It's definitely a worthwhile movie and rightfully tragic for it's time.

• Tsubaki S

  
  This is an interesting movie, flawed yes, but the whole thing works in ways you would never expect. Michael Douglas is certainly the main strenght of the film, and it makes you forget all the nonesense with the kid and the bazooka. Another great thing about FD is seeing people worship… More
  This is an interesting movie, flawed yes, but the whole thing works in ways you would never expect. Michael Douglas is certainly the main strenght of the film, and it makes you forget all the nonesense with the kid and the bazooka. Another great thing about FD is seeing people worship Michael Douglas character as an "american hero", it's like all the people that worship Fight Club without noticing that the movie is about clueless people creating an idol out of nothing. In the case of FD, many fail to realize that D-FENS is just a prick stuck in a dated mentality, that takes his anger and frustration against a world he doesn't understand at all. Be minorities, or the rich guys at the golf club, he's clueless about anything outside his bubble. That the final confrontation is against another frustrated old timer is a stroke of both irony and genius from the film. All this said, D-FENS is a guy that you can't help but like, and you will find yourself quite engaged in watching his crazy quest against the world.

• David S

  
  *Notices people run off as they see the name of the director* Oi, come back! Yes, I know who directed it, doesn't mean you should run! *Drags those people back* Right, let's get one thing straight: yes I am very well aware he helped usher in the fall of the Batman from the… More
  *Notices people run off as they see the name of the director* Oi, come back! Yes, I know who directed it, doesn't mean you should run! *Drags those people back* Right, let's get one thing straight: yes I am very well aware he helped usher in the fall of the Batman from the films. He will either pay or atone for those sins eventually. Doesn't mean everything he's involved with is a black hole. It works in reverse too (Coppola, for directing The Godfather trilogy, we won't throw rocks at you for Jack. But that did suck. A lot). Besides, this was done before Batman Forever, which is the better of his two attempts with Batman. So, let's give it a chance. I gave it a chance because I felt that the character was perhaps a future version of myself at the time I first saw this (at this point in my life, though, I am less likely to become the lead character so fear not). The premise of the movie is a simple one: William Foster (Michael Douglas, whose performance I will delve deeper into later) is in traffic one day, doing the daily grind. He's having problems in his life and he's almost near breaking point. He's stuck and decides "Screw this, I've had enough", gets out of his car and heads home to his daughter's birthday party. Along the way, his mood alters and he just breaks down and descends further and further into frustration. Meanwhile, Sgt. Martin Prendergast (Robert DuVall, giving an impressive performance) is one day from retiring from the force (this might be one of the few times I'll overlook that cliche though I wonder what would happen if a group of fictional former flatfeet found a way to get together and swap stories. Those who were one day from retirement would be surprised at just how many other people had the craziest last day, just like they did. I imagine it would soon turn into a game of one-upping each other: "So, it's my last day on the force, right? 25 years without only a few oddballs but overall, fairly quiet, but on that last day, some nutjob threatens to blow up a school AND a hospital AND a bus full of nuns unless we figure out his riddle! We had a hard day then, that was for darn sure!" "Oh yeah? I can top that! Last day on the force for me, I got the weirdest sonofabitch yet: he comes into the precinct, he's got C4 up the wazoo, he demands that WE free Tibet! Turns out it's a scam to get his buddies to break out of jail on the other side of town but man, he was one messed up dude!" "Y'know guys, I get the feeling the criminal masterminds and lunatics do this shit on purpose. They wait until one of us retires and then pull off some random stunt." But I digress.) Anyway, Martin keeps getting reports about seemingly random events occurring in the area and takes personal interest in the matters. The key to making this film as dynamic as it plays is this: it does not overblow any of the events. It's not like an action movie where everything seems to blow up, regardless of whether or not that's even possible (Michael Bay's trademark) and it doesn't make everything out to seem epic or to beat what's come before it. It's unrelenting, horrifying to an extent, and plays out like something the average person would do in that situation. Of course, that would probably be the whole point but it makes its point so effective. And it helps that Foster doesn't go on a random killing spree as such. He gets angry about the same things we do, he doesn't play "Eeeny, Meeny, Minee, Moe" and pick off targets like he's at a shooting gallery at the county fair. Michael Douglas really helps bring out his pain, his anguish, his disillusionment with the way life is. He's mad as Hell and he's sure not going to take it anymore! To further illustrate how it's not just a random potshot at bystanders he's interested in, look at his interactions with the owner of the military surplus store (played by Frederic Forrest). Said owner has Nazi paraphernalia and that disgusts Foster. He hasn't completely gone off the deep end, he's just tired. Confused and tired. He wants answers and he wants them now. I believe Foster is the personification of the anger we all feel towards the small things in life (like people talking on cell phones in cinemas) and the large (like being denied the rights to see our loved ones when we've done no wrong). He is the logical extension of our desire to wreak havoc on a chaotic world that holds no answers. Is it perhaps because violence was the answer with cave people and we're going with the first discoveries we made? Or is it because violence itself is unpredictable and thus, the only true counter to chaos is more chaos? A fairly realistic, thought-provoking look at the man beyond the breaking point. Schumacher may not have done so well with the Batman franchise but don't count him out. He may surprise you.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"The adventures of an ordinary man at war with the everyday world."</i> An unemployed defense worker frustrated with the various flaws he sees in society, begins to psychotically and violently lash out against them. <center><font size=+2… More
  <i>"The adventures of an ordinary man at war with the everyday world."</i> An unemployed defense worker frustrated with the various flaws he sees in society, begins to psychotically and violently lash out against them. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> Joel Schumacher's best film is a brilliantly realized urban nightmare that many people in the audience will identify with. On one of those typical LA dog-days, disgruntled motorist Michael Douglas, caught in what could be the traffic jam from hell, finally decides he can't take it any more, abandons his car on the freeway and decides to walk home and God help anyone who gets in his way. I suppose "Falling Down" could best be described as a road movie in reverse. The car has been ditched and the journey is on foot. Perhaps the film's closest antecedent is "The Swimmer" in which a similarly deranged Burt Lancaster decides to 'swim' home through the pools of his neighbours. As the dangerously unstable D-Fens, (he is known by his car registration), Michael Douglas gives the performance of his career and Schumacher racks up the tension to breaking point and beyond.

• Anthony L

  
  This is the last time Joel Schumacher made a good film! It has become a real classic and rightfully so, Michael Douglas is brilliant.

• Phil H

  
  Cool action flick with Douglas at his best as a man over the edge. You really get behind him as he goes around beating up punks, going nuts in a fast food joint, on a golf course, on roadworks and in an army surplus store. Its also amusing here and there but ultimately you really feel… More
  Cool action flick with Douglas at his best as a man over the edge. You really get behind him as he goes around beating up punks, going nuts in a fast food joint, on a golf course, on roadworks and in an army surplus store. Its also amusing here and there but ultimately you really feel the stress and sweaty heat building up on Douglas in LA downtown.

• Aaron N

  
  [Bill Foster exits his car in the middle of the highway] Guy on Freeway: Hey, where do you think you're going? Bill Foster: I'm going home! An interesting film that moves down an alley that begins as dark comedy and ends up in drama/thriller territory. It works at covering… More
  [Bill Foster exits his car in the middle of the highway] Guy on Freeway: Hey, where do you think you're going? Bill Foster: I'm going home! An interesting film that moves down an alley that begins as dark comedy and ends up in drama/thriller territory. It works at covering the state of capitalist society as the Cold War has just ended during the time of this film, as well as commenting on consumer culture, racial issues, and voicing every day bull shit. Its not perfect, but its different and a challenging role for Michael Douglas, who shines and one of Joel Schumacher's best films. Bill Foster: Why am I calling you by your first names? I don't even know you. I still call my boss "Mister", and I've been working for him for seven years, but all of a sudden I walk in here and I'm calling you Rick and Sheila like we're in some kind of AA meeting... I don't want to be your buddy, Rick. I just want some breakfast. Douglas stars as Bill Foster, a man, who sitting in his car on a hot day, basically decides that he's had enough. He then leaves his car and proceeds to head "home." We meet Bill and we don't know him. We don't even know his name for the majority of the film. Over time we learn more about Bill's life, but in the meantime, we the audience must follow Bill through LA, as he encounters different groups of people and decides to be very open about his opinion on his modern time. As we see, Bill has a temper, and this day may get the best of him. Nick: We're the same, you and me. We're the same, don't you see? Bill Foster: We are not the same. I'm an American and you're a sick asshole. Nick: Just what kind of vigilante are you? Bill Foster: I am not a vigilante. I am just trying to get home to my little girl's birthday party and if everyone will just stay out of my way, nobody will get hurt. On this same day, we have Sgt. Prendergast, played by Robert Duvall, who is one day from retirement. He picks up on the path of destruction being caused by Bill, and spends the day with a fellow officer, played by Rachel Ticotin trying to find this man. Prendergast must also deal with his pestering wife, who has basically forced him into retirement in the first place. Sergeant Prendergast: They lie to everybody; they lie to the fish. Douglas is great here, in a role far different than others that he has played. The descent his character takes during this film is effective and while we shouldn't support this character or even relate to him that much, he is engaging. I could certainly use more of his character and less of Prendergast. Duvall is very good in the role, but his subplot takes up too much screen time. The stuff involving his wife could easily be taken out and made reference to through dialog instead. Still, I am involved throughout this film, and I credit that to the general feel of the film. It presents LA effectively and works its strange angle as an un-PC dark comedy as it builds towards its climax, with things becoming more and more serious. Bill Foster: I'm the bad guy? Sergeant Prendergast: Yeah. Bill Foster: How did that happen?

• Tim S

  
  My favorite Schumacher movie. This one got to me in a very strange way.

• xGary X

  
  With direction from king of the hacks Joel Schumacher and starring Michael Douglas, I really shouldn't like this film but it is easily Douglas' best role. Normally I find him arrogant, self obsessed and utterly unsympathetic. Here, as an average Joe suffering a mental break,… More
  With direction from king of the hacks Joel Schumacher and starring Michael Douglas, I really shouldn't like this film but it is easily Douglas' best role. Normally I find him arrogant, self obsessed and utterly unsympathetic. Here, as an average Joe suffering a mental break, feeling under siege from the modern world he is actually pretty damn good. He adeptly walks the tightrope between garnering sympathy for his inability to cope with where his life has taken him and the underlying menace of his psychotic tendencies with genuine subtlety. Unfortunately this subtlety is lost in Schumacher's direction which schizophrenically veers between showing him as an ordinary man doing the things we'd all like to do once in a while and showing him as a dangerous lunatic. The script however contains plenty of black humour, and you can't help but cheer him on as he makes a stand against the hypocrisies of everyday life we are all faced with. It doesn't really make any coherent social point but it's an entertainingly off beat thriller that although lacking in any real tension, is different enough to stand out from the crowded marketplace of Hollywood thrillers.

• Luke B

  
  Michael Douglas plays the everyman and he's taking on the world. We've all had those moments where we just want to lash out at the world, from overpriced drinks to fast food restaurants only serving breakfast until 11. It builds at a nerve shredding pace, going from simple… More
  Michael Douglas plays the everyman and he's taking on the world. We've all had those moments where we just want to lash out at the world, from overpriced drinks to fast food restaurants only serving breakfast until 11. It builds at a nerve shredding pace, going from simple losing of the temper to drive bys and all sorts. Douglas gives his best performance, generally looking and acting unrecognisable. He is sympathetic and empathetic but we also note that although we may agree with some of his actions he is also unstable. DuVall is excellent as the cop hours away from retirement who becomes emotionally involved in D-Fens. A great release for those frustrating days knowing that it isn't just you.

• Dean !

  
  A great film as Douglas loses the plot and does largely what many of us would like to! Good fun.

• Derek D

  
  Not really as much a vigillante film as much as simply one man's story about being fed-up with the world around him on his way home. Whether it's a case of self-defense (threatened by gangs while making a phone call), going way overboard over little things (pulling out a gun… More
  Not really as much a vigillante film as much as simply one man's story about being fed-up with the world around him on his way home. Whether it's a case of self-defense (threatened by gangs while making a phone call), going way overboard over little things (pulling out a gun at a fast food joint) or just plain bad luck (running into the brilliantly psychotic Frederic Forrest in a military surplus shop), the film goes back-and-forth in trying to make him out to be both the villain and the victim. One of Douglas' most mistunderstood role, but perhaps the one I most remember him for.

• Craig S

  
  <u><b>Directed by:</u></b> Joel Schumacher. <u><b>Starring:</u></b> Michael Douglas, Rachel Ticotin, Robert Duvall, Barbara Hershey. <i><< "Give me your other hand"..."I can't"..."Why… More
  <u><b>Directed by:</u></b> Joel Schumacher. <u><b>Starring:</u></b> Michael Douglas, Rachel Ticotin, Robert Duvall, Barbara Hershey. <i><< "Give me your other hand"..."I can't"..."Why not?"..."Gravity"..."Gravity? What the fuck does that mean?"..."I'll fall down." >></i> The story follows Bill (aka D-FENS...no he ain't a rapper, thank god), an unemployed, divorced engineer who takes revenge on the various flaws in society over the course of a day. What a great plotline, no doubt there. Its something that could be done countless ways and its hard to see Michael Douglas in the leading role...but I couldn't see anyone else pull off what he did here. I'm shocked to say that this is Joel Schumacher's best film. Sure he's had the odd rare good film, but he doesn't exactly have a name for himself after so many failures, but he brings the right amount of visual flair and attention to this interesting concept, from the interesting and realistic perception of a typical gang ridden neighborhood to the simple irritations of everyday life. The script is solid but flawed beyond anything. This everyday man does so many out there things, yet manages to avoid cops right until the end, but the script just wants to have fun and its certainly does that. It raises some thoughtful questions on the average society and the system and it gives up a central character that is like any of us to start off with, who fights back...and its all tightly wrapped with some great thrills and thoughtful comedy. Michael Douglas performance is the best of his career, out beating his 'Oscar winning roles'. He has the everyman look to start off with, but he soon delves into his characters tortured psyche and its a great performance to see unfold, even when your not sure what to feel for the character. Falling Down is certainly a great film, something that certainly delivers the entertainment value and raises typical questions on society...and even though its clearly flawed, its never dull and Michael Douglas is just great. A great watch.

• Lenny M

  
  Michael Douglas' peak in my opinion, taking the streets of LA starting with just a briefcase, ending with an advanced weaponry and a rocket launcher.

• Tim S

  
  Douglas and Duvall are great.

• Curtis L

  
  I love this movie (sort of). It stars off great, anyway. Once we realize he's always a pshyco it looses it's charm.

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