Watch Fall Time
- R
- 1995
- 1 hr 28 min
-
5.4 (2,074)
Fall Time is a coming-of-age crime drama film that centers on three best friends, Digger (Steve Alden), Tim (David Arquette), and Eddie (Stephen Baldwin), living in a small California town in the 1950s. The three friends are finishing their senior year of high school and are wondering what their future holds. However, before they can move on with their lives, they decide to have one last hurrah that involves a prank on a local gas station attendant.
As expected, the prank goes wrong, and the trio ends up getting into more trouble than they bargained for. They cross paths with a group of criminals led by a veteran con man named Mr. Wyoming (Miguel Ferrer). The crooks are in the town to rob a wealthy middle-aged couple, Mr. and Mrs. Garrett (Raymond J. Barry and Sheryl Lee). The three friends become unwitting accomplices, and they are seduced by the lure of quick cash.
The sequence of events that ensues sees the three teenagers become involved in an attempt to rob the Garretts. They quickly realize that they have gotten in over their heads as a result of their involvement. As the heist draws closer, the young men find themselves slowly losing their innocence and becoming increasingly aware of the stakes at play.
The director of the film, Steve Adelson, successfully creates a sturdy and suspenseful atmosphere with a dash of nostalgia. The film's aesthetic and tone place it firmly in the coming of age genre, but it also aligns itself with elements of crime dramas. Many of these types of films will often focus on the interplay between the characters as they navigate unfamiliar and dangerous situations.
The film benefits from its talented cast. David Arquette, Stephen Baldwin and Steve Alden give solid performances, infusing humor and charisma in their roles as the three friends who find themselves embroiled in a criminal plot. Miguel Ferrer is also impressive as Mr. Wyoming, the leader of the gang, who adds an intriguingly mysterious quality to the film.
The film's cinematography is notable, too, and captures the open California wilderness of the fifties. The locations and settings are used to create a sense of atmosphere that is both idyllic and threatening, reminding the audience that danger lurks beneath the surface of things. The use of dark shadows and lowkey lighting is also effectively used to underscore the film's moments of tension and danger.
Fall Time's plot is a typical story of youthful indiscretion escalating into something far more serious, but the film also adds a level of social commentary to its proceedings. The film highlights a post-World War II America where young men were left feeling disconnected from their society and anchors of tradition. The three main characters find themselves in a position where they find it hard to envision their future, and their actions during the heist embody the sense of restlessness and disillusionment of the postwar generation.
Overall, Fall Time is a well-crafted and suspenseful coming-of-age drama with a solid cast and set in an alluring time and place in American history. It puts the focus on the fragility of youth and the dangers of being too young and too innocent. Anchored by strong performances and a well-paced script, the film captures the inherent difficulties of growing up, regardless of the decade or generation. It's a remarkable film that has remained a classic of 1990s independent cinema.
Fall Time is a 1995 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 28 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.4.