Review: Film: Falling Down, by Julie Renee Phelan

Thump from 1 to 5: Thump of 4.5

The film “Falling Down” is a 1993 action, psychological crime film, now considered a cult classic, directed by Joel Schumacher. The film stars Michael Douglas as the protagonist, William Foster, a marginalized divorcee and former federal agent for the defense contractor business. His ex-wife is played by Barbara Hershey, and the antagonist, police detective, is played by Robert Duvall. During the filming the Los Angeles riots broke out in 1992, they had to delay production until LA was back under control. Some areas filmed that Michael Douglas’ character traverses over by foot before the LA riots, were burned during the riots.

The film revolves around the mental breakdown of Michael Douglas’ character, William Foster. Imagine a very hot smoggy day in LA with bumper to bumper traffic on the freeway. The traffic is moving so slow that it is stopped and so is the air conditioner in the car. Foster becomes fed-up so he abandons his car on the freeway and starts walking home, approximately 20 miles. He wants to get home because it is his baby daughter’s birthday. He stops at an Asian grocery store to get change to make a $.50 telephone call, but to no avail. The owner will not give him change for a dollar without Foster buying something. Foster tries to buy a soda, but the soda cost $.85 which leaves him with only $.15, not enough to make his phone call.

Foster is at the end of his rope, and loses touch with socially appropriate behavior. Along his sojourn home he has many more encounters, some trivial and some not so trivial. He reacts to each one with an increasing amount of detachment in his personality, animosity, rage and violence. Although the Foster character is repellent, he is still relatable.

The antagonist, Martin Prendergast, played by Robert Duvall, is a LA police detective on his last day of duty before he retires. He is disgruntled and has his own personal demons including a nagging out of control bitter wife at home. However, with an oh-oh and empathy he follows the scorched earth path left in the wake of Foster’s rage and violence. Barbara Hershey believes her ex-husband, Foster, to be “potentially violent” and currently has a restraining order against him.

The film is a sardonic observation of life, social commentary on poverty, crime, racial tensions, commercialism and economic effects of marginalized individuals, similar to Foster. The title of the film “Falling Down” is cleverly taken from the nursery rhyme “London Bridges Falling Down,” signifying the mental collapse of a outcast character similar to Foster within an urban jungle like LA. The nursery rhyme appears after each mental break throughout the film. There are all different individuals, elements and neighborhoods for a man suffering a mental implosion to try an overcome in order to reach his baby daughter’s birthday party with his ex-wife in Venice Beach, California. Suggested viewing time … after a bad day because you may identify with the Foster character better. There are things we all think about, but do not do but Foster did!