Review of The Fall (2006) by Jim H — 04 Aug 2011
A paralyzed hospital patient befriends a young Romanian girl while telling her an improvised adventure story.
Catinca Untaru, who plays Alexandria, is about the cutest on screen child I've seen. Normally I find kids precocious in films and in real life (as Robin from How I Met Your Mother says, "It's cute that their shoes are small, but beyond that, what's the draw?), but Untaru's Alexandria makes me understand why some grown-ups make that "aw" sound when a child is near. She plays the part with the type of innocence that most adults can't fake, and Lee Pace's character's, Roy, friendship to her is no mystery; she makes Pace's job easy.
The film's primary draw is the story within the story, which is rife with great cinematography and some stark visuals. Although I think this aspect of the film suffers from cliche here and there, I thought it seemed as improvised as it was within the storyteller's imagination.
By the end, The Fall is about the struggle to maintain optimism despite all that the world throws one's way, and this theme is carried through in a few inspiring moments but mostly heart-breaking ones.
Overall, it's a fine film with a precious child actor who must be so sweet she shits chocolate.
This review of The Fall (2006) was written by Jim H on 04 Aug 2011.
The Fall has generally received very positive reviews.
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