Watch Let It Fall: LA 1982-1992

Let It Fall: LA 1982-1992 is a powerful and thought-provoking documentary film that provides a comprehensive and deeply moving account of the events that led up to the Los Angeles riots in 1992. The movie examines the social, economic, and political factors that contributed to the unrest, and offers a nuanced and often heartbreaking look at the human stories behind the headlines.

At the heart of Let It Fall is a close examination of the relationship between the LAPD and the African American community in the city. Through a series of interviews with police officers, community leaders, and ordinary citizens, the film explores how racial tensions and institutional biases played a role in the fraught and often violent interactions between law enforcement and the people they were sworn to protect.

The film takes its name from a phrase coined by Daryl Gates, the chief of police in Los Angeles during the time period covered by the documentary. In a speech a few years before the riots, Gates remarked that in some cases, it was best to "let it fall" when dealing with incidents of civil unrest or other forms of social upheaval. The film uses this phrase to explore the question of whether or not the LAPD responded appropriately to the growing tensions in the city in the years leading up to the riots.

One of the most compelling aspects of Let It Fall is the way that it weaves together multiple narratives to create a rich and complex portrait of life in Los Angeles during this tumultuous decade. The movie features interviews with people from all walks of life, including police officers, community activists, business owners, and residents of neighborhoods affected by the riots. These interviews are interspersed with archival footage and news clips from the time, creating a powerful sense of the era's historical and cultural context.

The film is also notable for its attention to detail and its refusal to underestimate the audience's intelligence. Rather than spoon-feeding viewers information, Let It Fall presents a nuanced and multi-layered exploration of its subject matter, trusting that viewers will be able to keep up and engage with the material on a deep level.

Throughout the documentary, there are moments of profound sadness and immense emotional impact. From the story of Rodney King, the man whose beating by LAPD officers sparked the riots, to the accounts of individual people whose lives were forever altered by the violence and chaos of those days, Let It Fall makes it clear that we are not simply dealing with abstract historical facts, but with real human beings and their experiences.

Despite the weightiness of its subject matter, Let It Fall is never didactic or preachy. Instead, the film allows its many voices to speak for themselves, presenting a complex and multifaceted vision of a city and a country grappling with deeply ingrained social and economic inequalities. In doing so, it offers a powerful model for how documentary filmmaking can engage with the most pressing issues of our time in a way that is both accessible and profoundly moving.

Overall, Let It Fall: LA 1982-1992 is a deeply affecting and thought-provoking piece of cinema that deserves to be seen by anyone interested in understanding the complex and fraught history of race relations in America. Through its powerful storytelling and meticulous attention to detail, the movie offers a profound and emotionally resonant look at a pivotal moment in American history, and at the ways in which our society continues to grapple with the legacies of racism and injustice.

Let It Fall: LA 1982-1992 is a 2017 documentary. It has received outstanding reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.8 and a MetaScore of 92.