Falling
"Falling" feels very much like the work of a filmmaker who's trying to push audience buttons rather than trying to tell a coherent, cohesive story.That's really nothing new for filmmaker/local writer/director Richard Dutcher. Nearly all of his works have had their button-pushing moments (especially his 2005 "God's Army" follow-up, "States of Grace").
But nothing in that film could have prepared anyone for this dramatic thriller, which goes so far over the top that it almost turns into an unintentional comedy.
Also, the film merits its R rating. In addition to some sure-to-be-controversial religious and spiritual themes, there's strong language, sexual material and disturbingly violent, sometimes gory sequences. An ending sequence almost seems to have been torn from "Death Wish" or the more recent remakes, "Death Sentence" and "The Brave One."
In addition to his writing and directing duties, Dutcher also stars as Eric Boyle, a California-based, freelance news photographer who's having an intensely personal spiritual crisis.
Eric wants to make movies but instead finds himself filming tragedies for television news. That's left him feeling more than a little bit empty inside.
To be fair, it's not a horrible set-up for a movie, and you can appreciate what Dutcher is trying to do here — at least to a point. But this material is so unpleasant and relentlessly bleak and is so in-your-face that it's ridiculous.
Also, you wish he had cast someone else in the main role. While Dutcher has been decent in support in a couple of his own films, he's just not a compelling enough presence to carry this material.
Relative newcomer Reece does fare a little better, even though her character is a little unsympathetic, at least as she's written.
"Falling" is rated R for strong scenes of violence (shootings, stabbings, brawling, a beating and violence against women, including domestic violence and an implied sexual assault), graphic blood and gore, strong sexual language (profanity, vulgar slang terms and other suggestive talk), brief sexual contact, brief female nudity, and slurs based on race, gender and sexual preference. Running time: 83 minutes.
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