Falling Movie Review & Comments

[Tom Davies]

Viggo Mortensen’s move behind the camera to write, direct, produce (and score!) is a semi-autobiographical story of a son caring for his elderly father and brings back Lance Henriksen in a career defining performance.
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Write your own review for Falling

 

[Sir QD oled]

removed

 

[Drax1]

Ta for the review Tom. I have to say, it's the talk of a big performance from Lance Henrikson that's got me excited for this. He's an actor I've thought it was shame didn't get more high profile roles after earlier success with Near Dark, Aliens and Termintor. Met him at a convention years ago, and he's a really nice chap.

 

[Evinger]

Thanks for the review, Tom.
I have a lot of time for Viggo Mortensen, but Lance Henriksen is the draw here; I have always thought him underrated, & one of those who never got the "Big break" - Aliens should have been the springboard, but it just didn't happen.
A harrowing story by the sound of it , but these two will have me watching it.

 

[kbfern]

It would be useful to know where I can view this film.

 

[Tom Davies]

It would be useful to know where I can view this film.

Cinemas, virtual screenings and VOD rental.

 

[richp007]

Cheers Tom, sounds like it's well worth a look. I knew nothing of this either.

I was actually a big fan of Henriksen in Chris Carter's Millenium series. Which is a very underrated show. Might have to rewatch that at some point soon.

Plus talk of Henriksen just gives me another excuse now to watch Hard Target

 

[encaser]

I'll give this some bytes later.
My dad recently passed from a Parkinson's related death and so seeing his mind get addled with both 'enhanced' angers and views, whilst just trying to get through a day sits high for me. It also has a cruel shattering effect with regard exaggeration for anyone witnessing it. However, I wouldn't go so far as to say it offers a blanket pass in drama and so will be viewing to see if a true sense of realism runs though this. From what you say, Tom, Henriksen's undeniably underrated gravitas and Mortenson's direction manage this, which gives me hope.
It's a shame Viggo is getting press for whether he's gay and should be playing the role. So annoyingly typical of late.
As for the score, he is an aspiring jazz artist and fan of Dennis Waterman. One of those isn't true.

 

[Tom Davies]

I'll give this some bytes later.
My dad recently passed from a Parkinson's related death and so seeing his mind get addled with both 'enhanced' angers and views, whilst just trying to get through a day sits high for me. It also has a cruel shattering effect with regard exaggeration for anyone witnessing it. However, I wouldn't go so far as to say it offers a blanket pass in drama and so will be viewing to see if a true sense of realism runs though this. From what you say, Tom, Henriksen's undeniably underrated gravitas and Mortenson's direction manage this, which gives me hope.
It's a shame Viggo is getting press for whether he's gay and should be playing the role. So annoyingly typical of late.
As for the score, he is an aspiring jazz artist and fan of Dennis Waterman. One of those isn't true.

I hadn't heard about him getting flack for it. That's a shame as he mentioned in an interview that the only way he could get it made was to agree to star. It wasn't his intention to be in it all.

He's also incredible in the role and as a person who floats around the LGBTQ+ cultural...thing, I found his portrayal respectful and compassionate. I don't know what more people are after on that front.

It certainly rides the line a couple of times but yeah, overall Henriksen's portrayal of dementia hews closely to what I've seen of the illness, balancing the confusion with the underlying personality.

There are criticisms to be leveled at the movie, but none of them should really take aim at the performances.

 

[VGzilla]

So great to see Lance Henriksen get another standout role. He elevates everything he's in, even the likes of Bigfoot vs Pumpkinhead.

 

[encaser]

OK. Saw it. Liked it a lot.
Henriksen and Mortensen are excellent in this and very believable, as far as it dares go. It's rather more aimed towards the darker in nature but lighter side of things at times, with grandpa being something of a Shock Jock and never really wandering into the harsher reality, or not, of him suffering any of the ills of true fear, confusion, rage and violent anger and the like; that dementia often brings without mercy for its sufferers. Instead, it's left to his family to recall darker memories, gasp in disgust or raise knowing eyebrows at his lines, that may challenge those of softer sensibilities, but for grandpa, he's just speaking his mind and having lots and lots and lots of nice memories - so many in fact, that you could be fooled into thinking, well, that's one worry out the way.
It's hard to take much of what he says too far to heart, as his condition relegates things and the fact that he was always an ornery SOB would no doubt have most who chose to stay in his orbit go, Oh that's just Willis. However, the grating year in and out, for the (overly?) saintly Mortensen's John, does at least reach a tepid boiling point after Willis literally forces it out of him. The sympathy really is aimed at John and not Willis but, he's such a passive twit at times and far too expectantly in the canonisation queue to feel too much for.
I'd imagine this will confuse the woke yoot of today; as to wonder what the worth is here, as they'll no doubt want to go on endlessly to explain what's wrong with the writing in Willis' views and opinions. Yeah. Really? We get it.
I did wonder if the breast shots (particularly the end one) were also what got the gay police questioning Mortensen's choice and his appearance, as perhaps it was too heterosexual for them?!
Nice little cameo for the ass Dr - who also popped up in Star Trek Discovery the other week.