Review of The Fallout (2021) by Bertobellamy — 01 Feb 2022

'The Fallout' distinguishes itself from other mass shootings movies by focusing on the aftermath of the event; on how those that survived deal with the immense trauma of losing someone they knew. But although Megan Park's approach is respectful, I couldn't get into her story. Jenna Ortega, as Vada, a teenager that doesn't know how to react to what has happened, is the most convincing part of the film. Unfortunately, the rest of the characters are kind of forgettable, and the acting didn't help that much. Julie Bowen, for example, felt miscast; I couldn't stop thinking about Claire Dunphy doing something funny whenever she popped up. And Maddie Ziegler didn't transmit anything to me. On the other hand, Vada's sister, played by Lumi Pollack, gives a heartfelt performance, especially during one of the last scenes, when the bond between sisters finally emerges, offering relief to both of them.

But what distracted me the most was the feeling that I was watching a toned-down version of 'Euphoria'. I mean, the Sam Levinson show is not very good — it's just style over substance —, but 'The Fallout' seems to have only taken the same setting, characters, and situations and added a mass shooting story, with a PG-13 rating. I respect what Megan Park has done here, but I have to say that it didn't work for me. Either way, I'm looking forward to seeing what she does next.