User reviews

This movie is brilliant. It's severely underrated, criminally misunderstood, and I believe, totally ahead of its time. In "Falling Down", Michael Douglas has brought to life one of the most believable, likeable, and disturbing antiheroes of all time. It's a poignant tale of the everyman finally getting sick of the various stupidities, banalities, and irritabilities (I'm coining that if it's not already a word) that plague our modern life. It's a film that, at the beginning is as hilarious as it is true, but as the film continues, it proceeds to become more real, more disturbing, but also more grounded in its message. It's ridiculous and insane, but it also cuts deep to the truths that all of us feel at times. I've seen a number of Joel Schumacher's films, but this is the only one I could imagine myself watching multiple times. It depicts the American dream better than most films out there. It shows the everyman's struggle to conquer what he believes is wrong. It gives us a person to root for who is idealistic and filled with bravado, but also a man who is seriously flawed. I really believe this picture was ahead of its time; it didn't get incredible reviews, but I'd argue it's Joel Schumacher's crowning achievement.

It has been 26 years since this movie came out. I saw it finally yesterday after desiring to see it since it was first advertised on circuit all those years ago. And what's my synopsis of this semi-vintage movie?...brilliant! So worth it! So much better than I ever imagined it could be! And not outdated at all! I expected it would be a novel, fun, action-packed movie about a guy who's had enough; with something of a pointed statement/indictment against our modern urban society. And it is that...but also so much more! This film is a masterpiece; it is beautiful and poignant art. There is not a scene or a shot or an utterance that is not absolutely intentional, loaded with depth and/or intrinsic to both the unfolding narrative and to its poetic depiction of humanity and the state of the world. It's a film that makes me feel robbed for having watched dozens of mindless one-dimensional action movies over these years. The writer (Ebbe Roe Smith), the director (Joel Shumacher), the awesome actors Douglas and Duvall and everyone involved with this production do not deserve a tinselly Oscar...they deserve a medal! And this movie deserves a shelf at the Louvre! And it most certainly deserves to be watched! As for me, I will be grabbing my shovel and go tracing the seam of movies from these great artists in search for more undiscovered gold. Last words: know that the language is not toned down and the very hard, very real issues that it deals with are weighty, so it's not for every audience or every occasion. But it couldn't have been any other way for being a look on real life. Phenomenal though that there is such hopefulness, joy, inspiration, overflowing humour and clever wit in this story. It is not at all a dark or depressing or ugly movie while it deals with matter in our society that is just that. It is like a great red wine that has the sweet and the bitter and the dry just perfectly balanced ... you take a sip, savour it and sigh out, in deep satisfaction!

I first saw this in the mid 90s on a vhs. Revisited it recently on a blu-ray. I thoroughly enjoyed viewing this again after so many years. This movie is still relevant today no matter which country u belong to. Michael Douglas' hypnotic performance is the highlight of this film. Everything about him, from his half sleeve plain white shirt, to his briefcase, his lunch, his specs and his torn shoes all screamed average middle class. The best line of the film is when Douglas asks Duvall, I am the bad guy?

I don't know but I was laughing my guts out while viewing this film. The guy who played the neo Nazi is creepy n hilarious. The cosmetic surgeon's house scene, the golf ground scene, the burger scene n the store scene, I found all these scenes darkly comical. Douglas' middle class person act is mind blowing. He potrayed the character who has to go thru everyday nuances very well. Working hard still ain't able to purchase a house, non payment of rent, road n traffic issues, employment issues, etc. The effect of consumerism has on each of us is dealt with properly in this film. The funny part is that the rich doesn't care about inflation or monetary probs, the poor gets government n ngo's aid while the middle class is stuck between em like a sandwich. The government doesn't care about him, they care about vote banks and that lies within the poor community.

Take the hottest day of the year, a traffic gridlock, cracked pavements, dirty streets, unwarranted hostility and a general feeling of being short changed. Then add the frustrations of having an estranged wife and child, an extremely jaded and unbalanced mindset, and the frustration of being obsolete with no marketable skills. Set them against the decadent back drop of modern day LA where if you are 'Not economically viable,' you are of no use, and the result is Falling Down.

The tag line 'The Adventures of an Ordinary man at War with the Everyday World,' makes Joel Schumacher's masterpiece sound like the benign story of a working stiff with issues. However Falling Down is a dark and engrossing urban fable, a study into the mind of the disenfranchised and reminder to all that the removal of comfort is a lot closer than we care to believe.

Full of clichés, like the cop on his last day before retiring, Falling Down bravely meets all expectations of stereotypes, rather than challenging them, making for a realistic reflection of a failing society. Here, a man in extremis, without the feral cunning or killer instinct required for a life in the street, makes his way on anger and luck alone, somehow surviving to leave a paper chase of violence and destruction behind.

Relying heavily on symbolism, illustrating a flip side of America running parallel to the hunky dory world occupied by the successful, the over all message of 'No Matter, Never Mind,' is clear in this world where children play next to vagrants dying from AIDS and Korean grocers can legally steal from the public with their overpriced goods.

Michael Douglas displays some hitherto unseen talent as the unbalanced D-FENS, as he casually totes gang weapons (complete with rubber bands on the grips) in his formal shirt and tie, does battle with store owners and comes up against fast food restaurants, homeless people, gangsters and Nazis. Robert Duval is equally brilliant as the desk jockey on his final day, determined to stop anyone else from being hurt, including the perp.

There is, of course, a small amount of Hollywood sentimentality thrown in for good measure, however the dynamics of such a strong narrative make this completely forgivable and it's possible to overlook this as a flaw given the film's overall strengths.

Praise surely has to go to Ebbe Roe Smith for writing one of the finest scripts ever to grace celluloid. Known for bit parts and cameos, who the hell knows who Ebbe really is? Look on IMDb to find out (if you're a geek like me) or release him into the ether if you don't care. The truth is, he's out there. The question is: Where's the next script?

On the whole, Falling Down is a powerful and dramatic indictment of American culture, societal decadence, and the failing values of the West. It's not for everyone and will most certainly offend some, but if approached with an open mind, will provide plenty of fuel for thought.

The older you get, the more you will make sense and understand this movie

This probably will not everybody's cup of tea, but if you're having a bad day it will be difficult not to relate to D Fens (Douglas). It's probably not an accident that there's quite a few similarities in the lives of D Fens and retiring police officer Prendergast (Duvall). As with most good films it also makes you think a bit. At what point does D Fens cross the line ? I'd suggest the Whammy Burger joint, but he does have a point with his flat burger and 2 minutes late for breakfast. The point of no return is a truly sinister scene.

On the day of his daughter's birthday, William "D-Fens" Foster (Michael Douglas) is trying to get home of his estranged ex-wife to see her daughter. He has a breakdown and leaves his car in a traffic jam in Los Angeles and decides to walk. Then he goes to a convenience store and tries to get some changes for a phone call but the Korean owner does not change his money. The unstable William breaks apart the shop with a baseball bat and goes to an isolated place to drink a coke. Two gangsters threaten him and he reacts hitting them with the bat. William continues walking and stops at a phone booth. The gangsters hunt him down with their gang and shoot him but crash their car. William goes nuts and takes their gym bag with weapons proceeding in his journey of rage against injustice. Meanwhile Sergeant Martin Prendergast (Robert Duvall) that is working on his last day before retirement is following the wave of crimes and believes that the responsible is the same man but the other detectives do not pay attention to him.

"Falling Down" is a movie with a story that is one of the greatest social criticisms of our contemporary way of life. The character William Foster has a typical day in a big city, with traffic jams, intolerance, violence, unemployment, citizen economically inviable, homeless, but he is on the edge of his existence and just wants to see his daughter on her birthday. However, it is a wrong day for him. The plot is sad and without hope but realistic. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Um Dia de Fúria" ("One Day of Rage")

This is the kind of movie that in the hands of a good director would have been fantastic! Unfortunately here it's full of stereotypes and clichés. Most of the acting is over the top, not natural and therefore not believable. Dialogues are cheesy, people don't normally talk like this.

The subject is a very serious matter and should have stayed like that, but the director thought it would be cool to embed some jokes or funny situations, which almost ruined the movie, because not funny and don't match with its spirit. The worst part is that not a single character is likable. In reality up to the middle of the movie one feels some kind of sympathy for the main character, because at first he looks like a weird but actually decent guy who just can't take it anymore, but then he too starts to over-egg the pudding and becomes a pain in the ass. At the beginning the policeman seems to be a considerate cop, but at the end turns out to be as one-dimensional as all others. The parallel story with his grumpy wife is completely dispensable, since it adds nothing to the plot.

Watchable, but somehow a bit flawed.

"Falling Down" is a film that intends to point out the many quirks and oddities of modern urban society. It succeeds in doing so, but one must look carefully. Each situation Bill Foster (Michael Douglas) faces is one that most people can relate to. However, unlike most people he decides to "fight the system" and wage war on the everyday annoyances that we all face. Foster is a People's Champion. To illustrate this, most people who watch this film naturally pull for him and see him as being a hero, mostly out of pure sympathy. However, at the end of the day, Foster is still "the bad guy" for going against the societal grain. Most viewers will find this upsetting or even unfair, considering that he fought back against many criminals and unjust forces.

Where Falling Down fails at times is during the scenes where it attempts to do too many things at once. The bits of humor throughout the film are mostly derived from over-the-top scenes, and at times Foster's actions seem cheesy and unrealistic. The fact that the film is two stories in one (Foster and Prendergast) provides a good contrast because the viewer gets to see both sides of the story. On one hand, we see an ordinary family man going bezerk (but in a way most of us can understand) and on the other hand we see a cop who believes Foster is a complete psychopath. Only the audience knows the truth. The film could have done without some of the lame subplots such as Duvall's marriage, even though those scenes illustrate his perception of being "weak" or "whipped". The film sets out to do a lot at once, which is quite necessary to create a thorough storyline, but at times doesn't come out right on film.

One scene that I have always found moving and powerful is the scene where Bill Foster sees the man who is "Not Economically Viable" protesting outside of the bank that denied him a loan. As everyone on the busy street goes about their business and ignores this man, Foster (and the viewer) are focused directly on him. Foster obviously sympathizes with this poor, hardworking man who is also being stepped on by society. As the man is escorted away in the police car he looks directly at Foster and says "don't forget me". In a gesture of sympathy and appreciation, he nods to him. The two characters share a connection. It is especially important to notice the symbolism of this scene. Both men are wearing the exact same outfits: a white short-sleeved dress shirt, black tie and black pants. They are on the opposite sides of the street. When they look at each other, even though they are white and black, it is as though they are looking into a mirror and seeing the same thing: a victim of society.

Overall, a slightly sad story that tries to do a whole lot, succeeds in most of it and provides lots of entertainment. A good storyline and an excellent observation of modern society.

Michael Douglas and Robert Duvall star in a film that portrays life as true, funny and aggravating as it really is. Douglas is wonderful in his role of an average Joe Schmoe gone haywire, and Robert Duvall is vivid and deep as the cop on the chase.

Falling Down may have a few incredibilities (though I remember going through a lot of situations in the film Douglas went through-though I never was angry enough to pull a shotgun out), but it's more symbolic than anything.

I think the funniest part is the burger restaurant, obviously a mimic of McDonalds, and Douglas' reaction. It's kind of like he realizes, "Hey, I'm this far, why not complain about the burger while I'm at it? It's always bugged me anyway!" Falling Down represents all Americans: the aggravations, road rage we hear about, everything. Every day situations in a new perspective.

5/5 stars-

JOHN ULMER

"Falling Down" is a very memorable movie, and it is the type of movie that once you've seen it then you will always remember it. Yeah, because director Joel Schumacher and writer Ebbe Roe Smith really came up with something truly unique here.

The story in "Falling Down" is an entertaining one for sure, and it is a blast to follow D-Fens/Foster (played by Michael Douglas) in his quest to return to his estranged family and having what seems like the entire world turn against him.

Not only is it a solid storyline and plot that carries the movie, but it is first and foremost an amazing performance by Michael Douglas. And the role he was portraying here was a very different one from the usual roles he used to play in his movies, a bold move career-wise, but one that seemed to pan out quite nicely. Robert Duvall was also doing an amazing job in the movie, but then again he usually always is.

The pacing in "Falling Down" is quite good, because the movie starts out in a pretty high gear and it doesn't really slow down to becoming dull or anything at any time throughout the course of the entire movie.

The movie does raise some interesting issues if you think about it, such as are you yourself the root of the cause to all your problems, or is it mere circumstance, or is society conspiring against us all? And in that aspect, then it is definitely a blast to follow Foster as he makes his way through Los Angeles and face his problems head on.

"Falling Down" is a movie that can sustain multiple viewings. I think this is actually my fourth time to sit down and watch it since it was initially released, and it is as good and entertaining today as it was the very first time I saw it.

Joel Schumacher's career has gone down the drain since this movie, for now he is just trying to make stupid movies with no sense and style. However this proved to be one of his best films. Michael Douglas portrayed William Forster perfectly, giving us a character who is both sensible and psychotic at the same time. The whole scene with Douglas in the fast food restaurant was priceless, giving a voice to the typical angry consumer. So many messages in the film really brought out the stereotypical infuriated American, and gave us the reactionary nature of such an individual. While this film will most likely leak in to the annals of obscurity, this one will always remain in my video collection.

This is one of those movies where you are rooting for the bad guy and they are acting so crazy that you enjoy it. I thought the plot was decent and it definitely had some eventful moments, however at times it felt a bit dragged, especially with the scenes about the retiring officer which I didn't care much for. I liked the action scenes a lot and also the outbursts which were funny and made the movie more entertaining. I think this movie would be more criticised and be considered more offensive if it was released today. Overall this is a good movie, but I wish I could've seen more of the main character who was great and a bit less of the retiring officer.

Is it just me or is this truly one of the best pictures from the last decade? Michael Douglas delivers an astonishing performance as D-Fens (William Foster) an ordinary guy, who has an obviously perfect job at the department of Defense, until he gets fired and his wife breaks up with him. The following opening credits are, according to my view, some of the best in motion picture history : the whole scene is just so extremely claustrophobic. D - Fens is just ''a victim of the modern age'' just like the writer's wife in A Clockwork Orange (another classic) who cannot stand the normal routine of living anymore, and begins a trial of violence in the asphalt Jungle called Los Angeles.

At first I didn't know what to expect from this film, but as i dived into the movie and the plot I was pretty impressed by the story. how a man in society becomes mad and starts a rampage over people just because of thier actions. and lets admit. we all would have reacted that way if we could have, but the difference between us and bill foster is that he is already mad and does what he wants, when you look at his actions closely you see he judges society because he feels like a victim. he lost his family, lost his job, can't see his daughter. so of course he wants to blame society and go against everyone he dislikes. michael douglas and robert duvall are great in their roles. but what I love to focus on is the main subject of the film and it is a man judging society, even if he is crazy he does have a point in everything he says and every scene of him doing something bad is because he had enough of people and there excuses. I really loved it.