Review of Falling Down (1993) by Renzo V — 30 Dec 2013

AN ORDINARY MAN AT WAR WITH THE EVERYDAY WORLD.

- When my neighbors lend me 'Falling Down', a 1993 action/drama movie by Joel Schumacher (The Lost Boys, A Time to Kill, Phone Booth) starring Michael Douglas and Robert Duvall, I really couldn't wait to see it. This simple story about a depressed man and his encounters, both trivial and provoked, that lead up to a violent rampage across Los Angeles, is genius. It's a mirror to modern society in the US with high crime-ratings, lot's of poverty and a harsh economy. Memorable scène is when the main character Foster wants to have breakfast in a fast-food restaurant.

When recently divorced William Foster (Douglas) is stuck in traffic during a heat wave, he gets frustrated because today is his daughter's birthday. He decides to abandon his car, taking only his keys and briefcase, so he can go home. At a nearby phone booth the man with white shirt and a tie wants to call his ex -wife Beth, but doesn't have enough small money with him. into a convenience store, where the Korean owner refuses to give him change unless he buys something. Foster begins to argue about the high prices with the man, who grabs his baseball bat and demands him to leave his store. In the following struggle Foster gets a hold on the bat and destroys the merchandise. After putting money in the till for his soda, he gets the change he needs and leaves. Unknowingly Foster finds himself in a bad neighborhood. He soon is the target of two gang members who want to steal his briefcase, but when threatened the businessman uses his bat to fight them off. Shortly after that the gang members have met up with friends and are driving around town in to find Foster, who is at a payphone trying to call Beth again. Heavily armed they open fire, killing innocent bystanders, but missing their target. During the attack the driver loses control of the car and crashes.

Sergeant Prendergast (Duvall), who was also stuck in traffic, arrives at the police office to attend his last day before hitting retirement. While his boss , co-workers and his wife tell him to take it easy and start packing, Prendergast sets his teeth to a final case: a mysterious case of a 'violent' man in a white shirt with tie...