Review of Fearless (1993) by Bill M — 15 Jan 2011

"Fearless" is an extremely under rated gem from the 90's. The film deals with complex themes of finding oneself and dealing with trauma, along with helping others and discovering what love/friendship really means.

The film is the story of Max Klein (Jeff Bridges) after he survives a dramatic plane crash. The man always lived with a certain degree of fear, but for some reason he's now staring the reaper in the face and laughing. He proceeds to help the remaining survivors find safety and their families and then leaves the scene.

The FBI soon tracks him and gives him transport back to his family. His wife, Laura (Isabella Rossellini), and their children are grateful to have Max back, but Max is completely distant. He hardly talks and even slaps an airline appointed psychologist, Dr. Perlman (John Turturro). Over the next few months, Max slips even farther away and hope grows dim of him returning to normal.

Dr. Perlman arranges for Max to meet one of the other survivors, Carla (Rosie Perez). Carla lost her 2 year old son in the crash and is completely devasted, secluding herself so much as to not even talking to her own husband, Manny (Benicio Del Toro). Max and Rose soon start a great friendship that culminates in Max acting like an angel and leading her to redemption.

The film takes a very in-depth look at what victims of accidents deal with in their lives. While it may not necessarily be the same for everyone, people have lost themselves after witnessing traumatic events and the solitude and seclusion is portrayed perfectly by Jeff Bridges. The man should have won an Oscar for his acting in this film as it's completely believable and engaging.

Rosie Perez, who did take home awards, is equally as gripping and engrossing. The grief her character suffers is blasted out of the screen and her anger at the airline, herself and God is showcased wonderfully. It's baffling how Perez didn't become a bigger star after this role, but she definitely deserves more commendations.

The supporting cast are all solid, too. Rossellini plays the confused, worried and caring wife great and her children are handled with child like wonder and ignorance. John Turturro sounds very cautionary and inquisitive, much like a Dr. would. Even the extras play off of the leads well.

The soundtrack is good, but not very original. Featuring tunes from Beethoven, U2 and The Gipsy Kings, it's definitely an eclectic collection, but it's mostly the melodramatic orchestral scores that send home the drama.

The direction is very jumpy, but definitely absorbing. Peter Weir knows just how long to hold a scene and when to place in mysterious flash backs. It helps to showcase the disorientation that the characters are dealing with after their accident.

The only real drawback to the film is the uplifting ending. While I wouldn't prefer that it happen another way, I would have liked if it gave more closure to the proceedings. It seems like a cheap way to solve Max's problems by just "breathing" life into him.

Also, the beginning is a bit of a mindfuck. Things just happen for 15-20 minutes before everything falls into place and that can be off putting for some viewers. Again, I understand the angle, but it's definitely something to look out for.

So in the end, "Fearless" is definitely a must see. If you've ever had to deal with a horrific event, accident or death, there's bound to be some theme or thought that will sit with you from this film. And even if you've never experienced a hardship on a personal level, the great direction and performances are reason enough to see the film. A character study at a top-tier level, "Fearless" does not let down.