Watch Falling Down
- R
- 1993
- 1 hr 53 min
-
7.6 (210,150)
Falling Down is a 1993 thriller directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall, and Barbara Hershey. It follows the story of William Foster (Douglas), a recently unemployed defense worker who suffers a mental breakdown in Los Angeles and goes on a violent rampage. The movie begins with William stuck in traffic on a hot summer day. After being repeatedly honked at and insulted by other drivers, he abandons his car on the freeway and begins a journey on foot across the city. Along the way, he encounters a variety of people and situations that show him the dark side of society - a racist convenience store owner, a group of gang members, a homeless veteran, and more.
As William's frustration and anger escalate, so does his violence. He acquires a bag full of weapons and begins to target people he feels have wronged him in some way, starting with a group of construction workers who he believes are causing traffic delays. He also attempts to reconnect with his ex-wife (Hershey) and their daughter, who has a birthday that day, but is only met with rejection and hostility.
Meanwhile, Detective Prendergast (Duvall), a retiring police officer, is assigned to track down William and stop his rampage. Prendergast is the only person who seems to sympathize with William and understand what has driven him to violence, as he is also facing personal and professional struggles.
As the day turns into night, William's violence comes to a head in a final confrontation with Prendergast that will decide the fate of both of them.
Falling Down is a disturbing and bleak portrayal of a man pushed to his limits and the society that fails him. Michael Douglas delivers a powerful performance as William, making the audience both sympathize with and fear him. Duvall is also excellent as the nuanced and empathetic Prendergast. The movie touches on themes of the breakdown of social order, class conflict, and individual alienation in modern society.
While Falling Down sparked some controversy upon its release for its portrayal of violence and its political message, it remains a thought-provoking and impactful film today. Its relevance has not diminished, and its message about the dangers of societal breakdown and the importance of empathy and understanding still resonates.
Falling Down is a 1993 crime movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 53 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.6 and a MetaScore of 56.