Falling Down, 1993

Falling Down, 1993
Director: Joel Schumacher
Cast: Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall


Stage: Home theatre. Selection every now and then. I just adore this movie

Falling Down in short: William (D-FENS) just wants to get home to see his daughter on her birthday. Unfortunately, nothing seems to be going right for him. First there's the traffic jam, then the unhelpful Korean shopkeeper who "doesn't give change". D-FENS begins to crack and starts to fight back against the every day "injustices" he encounters on his journey home.

Preps: This is absolutely a masterpiece of Joel Schumacher, seeing the perspective of a native american, giving all around him a lesson. I want to see this in the same way I need to see Kill Bill every now or then, or Pulp Fiction, or the Matrix. So no preps whatsoever, I am more than ready every time!


Reality: As said, from the start to finish, a masterpiece. The walking sculpture of black humour, sarcasm and things that don't make sense to most humans but don't have the guts to say it in front. Michael Douglas has one of his best casts here and I cannot stop laughing or admiring the point he's making. Let it be by the Korean guy at his store, or in the Whammy Burger, let it be on the hill with the latino guys or later on at the phone booth. The scenes that are shown, while this guy is trying to come home to his kid's birthday (at some point you realize he is a fanatic and got divorced a while ago, having a kid and a restriction order), however, the facts you realize about this man get you tho think about how calm he really is :) and how slow he's taking his anger out of his pockets.

The side story about a retiring cop / Duvall, here just seems something inbetween to calm your laughing centres and get ready for the next scene. Each time Douglas appears on the screen, you get a fresh dose of clean, ironic humour and it is just pouring in my veins more and more. I am sure you will love this movie and the true irony it posesses.

By the way, D-Fence is the licence number on Douglas's car! And for this reason from the middle of the movie he gets this nick by all the people chasing him.


One of my favourites is definitely at the Whammy Burger. It's one of the most hilarious scenes I have ever seen. However, the first one before that is when he hits the pine with a korean guy, not giving him the change he wanted:

Mr. Lee: Take the money.
Bill Foster: You think I'm a thief? Oh, you see, I'm not the thief. I'm not the one charging 85 cents for a *stinking* soda! You're the thief. I'm just standing up for my rights as a consumer.



My personal rate: 9,5 (absolutely brilliant in terms of black humour and sarcasm. Everyone that's into it like me will surely adopt and adore this piece. One of my favourites - I see it from time to time - the Whammy burger scene with "the customer is always right" attitude)

Falling Down on IMDB