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Falling Down

  • 19931993
  • RR
  • 1h 53m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
187K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,729
66
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Michael Douglas in Falling Down (1993)
Michael Douglas plays a patient man who's patience gets pushed too far
Play trailer2:33
2 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Thriller

An ordinary man frustrated with the various flaws he sees in society begins to psychotically and violently lash out against them.An ordinary man frustrated with the various flaws he sees in society begins to psychotically and violently lash out against them.An ordinary man frustrated with the various flaws he sees in society begins to psychotically and violently lash out against them.

IMDb RATING
7.6/10
187K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,729
66
  • Director
    • Joel Schumacher
  • Writer
    • Ebbe Roe Smith
  • Stars
    • Michael Douglas
    • Robert Duvall
    • Barbara Hershey
Top credits
  • Director
    • Joel Schumacher
  • Writer
    • Ebbe Roe Smith
  • Stars
    • Michael Douglas
    • Robert Duvall
    • Barbara Hershey
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 506User reviews
    • 94Critic reviews
    • 56Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations

    Videos2

    Falling Down
    Trailer 2:33
    Falling Down
    Falling Down
    Trailer 2:27
    Falling Down

    Photos120

    Robert Duvall in Falling Down (1993)
    Michael Douglas in Falling Down (1993)
    Michael Douglas and Barbara Hershey in Falling Down (1993)
    Michael Douglas and Barbara Hershey in Falling Down (1993)
    Michael Douglas, Eddie Frias, and Agustin Rodriguez in Falling Down (1993)
    Michael Douglas in Falling Down (1993)
    Michael Douglas in Falling Down (1993)
    Michael Douglas in Falling Down (1993)
    Michael Douglas in Falling Down (1993)
    Robert Duvall in Falling Down (1993)
    Falling Down (1993)
    Michael Douglas and Annette Bening in Falling Down (1993)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Michael Douglas
    Michael Douglas
    • D-Fensas D-Fens
    Robert Duvall
    Robert Duvall
    • Prendergastas Prendergast
    Barbara Hershey
    Barbara Hershey
    • Bethas Beth
    Rachel Ticotin
    Rachel Ticotin
    • Sandraas Sandra
    Tuesday Weld
    Tuesday Weld
    • Mrs. Prendergastas Mrs. Prendergast
    Frederic Forrest
    Frederic Forrest
    • Surplus Store Owneras Surplus Store Owner
    Lois Smith
    Lois Smith
    • D-Fens' Motheras D-Fens' Mother
    Joey Singer
    Joey Singer
    • Adele (Beth's Child)as Adele (Beth's Child)
    • (as Joey Hope Singer)
    Ebbe Roe Smith
    Ebbe Roe Smith
    • Guy on Freewayas Guy on Freeway
    Michael Paul Chan
    Michael Paul Chan
    • Mr. Leeas Mr. Lee
    Raymond J. Barry
    Raymond J. Barry
    • Captain Yardleyas Captain Yardley
    D.W. Moffett
    D.W. Moffett
    • Detective Lydeckeras Detective Lydecker
    Steve Park
    Steve Park
    • Detective Brianas Detective Brian
    Kimberly Scott
    Kimberly Scott
    • Detective Jonesas Detective Jones
    James Keane
    James Keane
    • Detective Keeneas Detective Keene
    Macon McCalman
    Macon McCalman
    • Detective Grahamas Detective Graham
    Richard Montoya
    Richard Montoya
    • Detective Sanchezas Detective Sanchez
    Bruce Beatty
    Bruce Beatty
    • Police Clerkas Police Clerk
    • Director
      • Joel Schumacher
    • Writer
      • Ebbe Roe Smith
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    On the day of his daughter's (Joey Singer) birthday, William "D-Fens" Foster (Michael Douglas) is trying to get to his estranged ex-wife's (Barbara Hershey) house to see his daughter. He has a breakdown and leaves his car in a traffic jam in Los Angeles and decides to walk. Along the way he stops at a convenience store and tries to get some change for a phone call but the owner, Mister Lee (Michael Paul Chan), does not give him change. This destabilizes William who then breaks apart the shop with a baseball bat and goes to an isolated place to drink a coke. Two gangsters (Agustin Rodriguez & Eddie Frias) threaten him and he reacts by hitting them with the bat. D-FENS continues walking and stops at a phone booth. The gangsters hunt him down with their gang and shoot at him but crash their car. William goes nuts and takes their gym bag with weapons proceeding in his journey of rage against injustice. Meanwhile Sergeant Martin Prendergast (Robert Duvall), who is working on his last day before retirement, is following the wave of crimes and believes that the same man is responsible but the other detectives do not pay attention to him. —Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
    • rage
    • alienation
    • urban decay
    • social commentary
    • downward spiral
    • 327 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • The adventures of an ordinary man at war with the everyday world.
    • Genres
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Thriller
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for violence and strong language
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Michael Douglas considers this his favorite performance of all the movies he has been in.
    • Goofs
      Rocket is still visible inside the rocket launcher immediately after being fired.
    • Quotes

      Gang Member #1: Whatcha doin', Mister?

      Bill Foster: Nothing.

      Gang Member #1: Yes, you are, you're trespassing on private property.

      Bill Foster: Trespassing?

      Gang Member #2: You're loitering too, man.

      Gang Member #1: That's right, you're loitering too.

      Bill Foster: I didn't see any signs.

      Gang Member #1: [pointing at a piece of graffiti] Whatcha call that?

      Bill Foster: Graffiti?

      Gang Member #1: No, man. That's not fucking graffiti, that's a sign.

      Gang Member #2: He can't read it, man.

      Gang Member #1: I'll read it for you. It says this is fucking private property. No fucking trespassing. This means fucking you.

      Bill Foster: It says all that?

      Gang Member #1: Yeah!

      Bill Foster: Well, maybe if you wrote it in fucking English, I could fucking understand it.

    • Crazy credits
      The role of Vondie Curtis-Hall, who plays the man protesting the bank, is credited as "Not Economically Viable Man."
    • Connections
      Edited into The Clock (2010)
    • Soundtracks
      The Stripper
      Written by David Rose

      Performed by David Rose and His Orchestra

      Courtesy of Polygram Special Markets

    User reviews506

    Review
    Top review
    An Unusual Performance for Douglas...But a Good One!!!
    Falling Down (1993)

    Tagged as `the adventures of an ordinary man at war with the everyday world,' Joel Schumacher's `Falling Down' tells the tragic tale of William Foster aka D-FENS, a now unemployed defense worker who finds himself trapped on a hot summer day in bumper-to-bumper Los Angeles traffic. Having been pushed past the brink of sanity, Foster loses it and storms out of his car, walking around town and trying desperately to see his little daughter for her birthday, a daughter who is untouchable because of a court order against him by his estranged wife. Along the way, Foster will run across character types we've all come across: the 'war veteran' bum who is really just a lowlife looking to score some quick cash, an irate Korean grocery store owner, a homophobic neo-nazi army retail store owner, a crusty elitist country club golf player, super friendly fast food workers, young Hispanic thugs, and so forth. And each one will chip away at what remains of his patience and tolerance for stupidity, fueling a rampage.

    Up against this anti-hero is Prendergast, a veteran cop who has felt many of the same pains as Foster, but who serves as sort of a foil to him. Foster has lost everything, and while Prendergast has lost quite a bit (his wife is a basketcase, his little daughter died years ago under mysterious circumstances), he still retains some optimism, calmness, and dignity. As Prendergast, who is on his last day on the job, begins to put together the pieces of the mysterious crime spree plaguing the city (he seems to be the only one smart enough to figure out it's all the doing of one man!), it pits him in an inevitable confrontation between him and Foster.

    Michael Douglas, playing Foster / D-FENS plays an incredibly complex character. On the one hand, you know much of what he does is so wrong, but at the same time there's immense satisfaction at seeing him lash out at those deserving of it. And while he tries to stay calm, he finds himself constantly provoked by those who have 'wronged society.' In fact, many of the things he does could so easily have been avoided if the 'victims' were not so positively despicable. You can't help but feel at the end of the day, when Foster gets his due, that he's, in some small way, made Los Angeles a better place despite the carnage he's unleashed.

    And this is perhaps what is so strange about the movie. There seems to be no clear message. Who was right? Who was wrong? It becomes a very blurry line over the approximately 2 hours of the movie's run. I've seen it now several times and I still can't give any definitive answer. Perhaps this is a strength, that different people will view this movie in different ways. Some will see this as the story of a noble, decent man who modern society has beaten down and crushed, and who desperately tries to struggle against the tyranny and betrayal. Others will see Foster as a lunatic who needed to be put down. No one, I think, will find that Foster doesn't warrant some sympathy.

    Personally, I think Foster got the wrong end of the stick. His wife's anger and fear of him seems somewhat unwarranted, and though it is clear that Foster (and not just society itself) has brought many of his problems upon his own head, he is tired and angry and rightfully resentful at the course his life has taken. He feels he has nothing to live for, so he takes it out on anyone who crosses his path. I recommend this movie because the performances are all-around great, it delivers a solid cast, and as the portrayal of one man's journey down the path of madness, few have done better.

    Grade: A-
    helpful•114
    15
    • TheExaltedOne
    • Apr 2, 2004

    FAQ1

    • Is this film based on a true story?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 26, 1993 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • France
      • United Kingdom
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
      • Korean
    • Also known as
      • Sụp Đổ
    • Filming locations
      • Angelo's Burgers - 10990 Atlantic Avenue, Lynwood, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Alcor Films
      • Canal+
      • New Regency Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $25,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $40,903,593
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $8,724,452
      • Feb 28, 1993
    • Gross worldwide
      • $40,903,593
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 53 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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