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Films: F is for...

Falling Down

“A tale of urban reality”. It’s not like this round my bit of urban. Michael ‘nepotism’ Douglas stars as either a victim of modern society frustrated to the point of madness by the callousness of a post-industrial wilderness where the rights of the individual are challenged at every turn and decency and civility are lost in a maelstrom of consumerism and corporate heartlessness, or a self-obsessed moany nutter: take your pick. The best bit is right at the start in the convenience store cos the Korean bloke’s hilarious but it’s got a good cast including Robert ‘who told him Ally McCoist could act?’ Duvall and Barbara ‘obvious nickname’ Hershey.

8 Comments

8 Comments

  1. Lee James Turnock

    February 3, 2011 at 5:05 pm

    “YOU FORGOT THE BRIEFCASE!”

  2. Glenn A

    July 19, 2012 at 10:26 pm

    A classic for all of us hacked off with bad customer service, petty rules and the stresses of modern life.
    I felt like having a D FENS moment in a local supermarket when only 6 out of 20 tills were working and the queues were off the rationing era variety. Waiting 15 minutes just to buy a bottle of milk and some bread wasn’t my idea of fun. I can understand why the French either push in or walk off without paying, but in England we stand around like sheep in some poxy queue on a day of rest.

  3. Palitoy

    July 23, 2012 at 9:45 am

    The really funny thing – really funny – is that ‘Falling Down’ is more to the action thriller faux-seventies style that Chris Nolan made te new Batman films in in order to kick against Falling Down’s Schumacher’s Las Vegas strip-neon camp Batman movies.

  4. Gary Turner

    September 23, 2014 at 11:03 pm

    An amazing film that’s still relevant today than it was when it came out in the 90s. Michael Douglas turely electrifying performance as frustrated middle class middle aged white American at odds with modern society.

  5. Glenn Aylett

    June 11, 2022 at 11:31 am

    The scene in the fast food restaurant is my favourite: the customer is always right. Well if you have an Uzi 9mm, very likely yes, but a great scene that shows up the pettiness of these places( no breakfast at 11.31) and their crummy offerings( the shrivelled up Wammyburger).

  6. Droogie

    June 11, 2022 at 1:27 pm

    Great performances all round, especially Frederic Forrest as the neo-Nazi army surplus store owner. It reminds me of an army & navy place in Cardiff when I was a kid. The owner was quite scary and you wondered what secret items for sale that he had hidden in the basement.

    • Glenn Aylett

      June 11, 2022 at 2:47 pm

      @ Droogie, the whole film had excellent minor characters. Frederic Forrest’s Nazi shop owner was one of the best characters, but for comedy value, the phoney Vietnam veteran is good for a laugh.

      • Droogie

        June 12, 2022 at 1:24 am

        @GlennAylett You’ve reminded me again what a great film this is. I haven’t seen it in over a decade, but the Michael Douglas character seems to be going through various circles of Hell with all the demons he meets on his journey. Just remembered his unforgettable interaction with the rich obnoxious arseholes on the golf course too!

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