Movies

The Fall a movie released in May 2008 is set in the 1920s in a hospital in Los Angeles where an injured stuntman Roy begins to tell another patient - a little girl Alexandria with a broken arm, a fantasy story about 5 mythical heroes. He mesmerizes her with the fanciful story that takes her far away from the hospital melancholy and transports her into foreign landscapes of her imagination. To keep the girl interested in the story he interlaces it with her family and people she likes from the hospital. Although Roy develops a friendship with Alexandria, he has an ulterior motive. Through the tales he gains her trust and tricks her into stealing morphine from the hospital pharmacy so that he can attempt suicide.

The Fall is directed by Tarsem Singh, who also directed The Cell, another visually stunning movie. There are plenty of amazing things about the movie, but most of the times it is weird for the sake of it. Nothing is ever given explanation or intensity, so it seems comical like the Italian explosives expert who for some reason is dressed in a Chinese robe and hat. Its also oddly violent.  The tone of the movie in general is awkward and shuttling between playful and morose. It is a waste because the acting is terrific for the most part. The young Untaru and Pace both give terrific performances.

The movie took part in the following Film festivals Toronto International Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, Los Angeles Film Festival, Sitges International Festival of Fantastic and Horror Cinema, Jakarta International Film Festival, Istanbul Film Festival, Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, Maui Film Festival and Biografilm Festival.

Tarsem Singh largely financed the film with his own funds, because he wanted to make the film according to his own vision, and paid members of the cast and crew on an equal basis rather than the typical Hollywood way. The marketing strategy for the movie was not great. Roadside Attractions couldnt create a decent marketing strategy for the film, due to which it could not reach out to a wider audience. Also, the scathing reviews at the Toronto International Film festival resulted in the movie not being sold for distribution.

In conclusion The Fall would be a favorite for some people due to the dazzling imagery and brief moments of humor but it is still not enough to distract you from the dull narrative. It ultimately disappoints because you can see what this movie could have been but cannot excuse it for what it finally became. In spite the above and the fact that it drowned out at the summer box office by films that are bigger, louder, and far less interesting, its bound to find a more appreciative audience in the years and decades to come.