The Free Fall (2021) User Reviews (36)

Apples and roses

[begob · 6/10 · 17 January 2022]

A woman visits her parents' house to celebrate the retaking of their marriage vows, but finds that's not the only ritual on the menu.

Trippy, fractured story with stylish symbolism that kept me on my toes to the end. The opening shot carefully lays a trail of clues - not least a word in capital letters - so I knew to keep questioning what was coming at me. There's plenty of mirror-trickery to raise doubts not just about what's going on but also about who the heroine really is, and the broken up sequence of events keeps everything in confusion.

The risk with trippy story-telling is that it leaves the audience stumbling about until we stub our toe and say, Enough. So I was kinda fatigued by the halfway mark, but then the prospect of a dramatic set-piece was introduced and my attention perked up. Was it worth it? Well, I think the end broke off prematurely, probably because the writer had no good idea what the whole thing was about. I certainly didn't get the sense of all the mysteries in the puzzle locking together to reveal a genuine human experience.

The performances are good, and the editing keeps up a decent pace. The camera work dwelled a lot on mirrors, and was otherwise unremarkable. The original score caught my attention with the accordions in the dance scene, but was never switched off and proved distracting in several scenes where the actors were face to face.

It is an unusual take on this sub-genre of horror, but not as engaging as Grace (2014), and I feel the stilted mood of the set-piece reflected a lack of heart in the writing.

Overall: Intriguing but not so engaging.

My score is mainly for the twist

[bangel3322 · 3/10 · 24 January 2022]

I liked the twist at the end...it was a clever and unique twist, however the journey to get there was a painful one. A storyline like this needs more finesse, better actors, intricate detailing etc. This film did not posses those qualities unfortunately. A shame as it had such potential.

Barmy urban gothic amnesia tale

[gillman11 · 7/10 · 18 October 2021]

Grimmfest 2021

Hard to comment without giving it away and honestly, you deserve to go into this one cold and experience it yourself.

For the most part, an urban spin on a Daphne DuMaurier style gaslighting tale. We can tell things ain't right but we don't know why or how.

The three leads play it straight - Ashmore and the stunning Ms Lando are more than watchable throughout.

Then, it careers into its final act and it has to be seen to be believed...

Critic proof - a sure fire future cult classic.

What? Really, I can't hear you.

[haskel-72951 · 2/10 · 16 January 2022]

Let's get the overall review out of the way: this movie is lamer than a three legged horse in the Kentucky Derby. It's slow, it's dull, and it's big twist is as dumb as dirt. At least I think. It's hard to tell if it was as bad as I thought because it is nearly impossible to hear some of the dialogue. I'm sure it was a conscious decision to have a muted, echoey quality to the dialogue while background music plays at the same volume. Why? Who knows. I'm not sure it would make a difference. Good cast, bad script, daytime television level directing, and local public access sound make this one a hard pass.

Just for the climax

[m-ramanan · 6/10 · 8 June 2022]

RATED 6/10 Language: English

The acting was so pathetic and the making is so average. Looks like total miscast except the maid and sister. The first half is slow and testing your patience. The second half is decent and the climax is good. Just because of the conclusion, I rated bit higher, else it is easily avoidable one.

Too incoherent to be enjoyable

[t2do2dl2da · 4/10 · 6 February 2022]

What could have been a straight forward supernatural thriller has been overdone.

The plot and scenes, too incoherent to enjoy, making you lose interest by the time you get to the end.

Top-Notch Effective Horror Thriller

[stevesinger-2001 · 8/10 · 15 January 2022]

"The Free Fall" is a really well done horror thriller that delivers the goods. The movie starts with a bang, as Sara (played by Andrea Londo) goes to her parents house to help them celebrate their anniversary only to be greeted by a horrific scene. Next time we see her, she is in bed recovering from a suicide attempt. She has lost most of her memory due to the traumatic events of her life (including the suicide attempt) and her husband Nick (Shawn Ashmore) tries to help her recover her life and memory. He starts reminding her of their life and explaining the events that unfolded after the events at the beginning of the movie caused her to spiral out of control. Sara starts feeling better, but as time goes on, she starts to get flashes of memories, she sees and hears things that she is assured aren't there and she starts to get the feeling something is just off...

Look, this is a horror film. So we know from the outset this isn't going to end up with Sara simply regaining her memory and living happily ever after. The movie knows we know that, too, and cleverly plays with our expectations. Nick does something that makes us say, "Aha! He's the bad guy!" and then he does something that makes us say, "Oh, maybe not. He seems to be the good guy." There is a housekeeper named Rose who acts weird and we think we know what's going on, and then we think that maybe it's all in Sara's head and Rose was acting fine. And I gotta admit -- the denouement took me by surprise. I've seen a LOT of horror movies so to have one make me say, "Whoa! I didn't see that coming!" is really saying something.

In addition, the lead performance help drive the movie. Andrea Londo makes Sara truly likable, vulnerable, and easy to root for. And Shawn Ashmore does a wonderful job of making Nick just suspicious enough to make us worry about him, and caring enough for us to sort of feel guilty for suspecting him. And unlike many low budget films, it is well lit, well filmed, and only a couple of minor places where the sound mix makes it hard to hear.

All in all, "The Free Fall" gets a pretty high recommendation from me. Definitely worth checking out.

Good imagery, poor writing

[korythacher · 5/10 · 24 October 2022]

Bottom line: Free Fall was a fine watch, but the writing was pretty frustrating, and it didn't come together as well as I'd like. I think it was worth the watch for the imagery, but ultimately it was an unsatisfying film.

Free Fall is a little tough to review. I think the writing and pacing would ultimately be a 3/10, but the imagery and general idea would be around a 6/10. At the end of the day, there is enough memorable moments that I'm glad I watched it, but I don't think there was enough for me to really recommend it.

The dialogue and general writing was really poor and often very frustrating. The pace was very slow and repetitive. They ramp up really fast and then just kind of plateau for too long before moving into the final act. It was engaging for a while, but then they stop giving any new information and just repeat the same sorts of scenes a handful of times so you just want it to move on and get to the point.

The imagery was pretty intense though. There are some serious gory scenes, some really weird stuff I liked a lot, and some artistic moments. Similarly, the story and idea were actually pretty good, and the twist was fun.

While I liked the twist, I don't think it was a particularly surprising, or done quite as well as it could have been. I think you're ability to figure it out might effect your overall view of the movie since a lot of the positive reviews seem to find it mind-blowing, but it was one of a few possible endings we all pegged pretty early.

Uncertain film left me wanting more

[jmbovan-47-160173 · 5/10 · 4 October 2022]

Simplistic idea for a film presented in the convoluted nature of amnesia. The film takes slight chances with production leaving much to be desired with the confusion and tension that it needed to be suspenseful. Instead, the musings of what is true were uninspired images that ultimately felt heavy handed. Acting was decent so it wasn't a complete waste. Overall, the way that the plot toyed with us didn't lead to much. And the potential twist at the end wasn't very imaginative. Lackluster effort overall that didn't create much magic in the end. Had potential but something didn't quite blend together for something better.

its just...

[ops-52535 · 3/10 · 14 January 2022]

A dream just a dream, said REM while falling asleep in a corner, of a beautiful old masion , fully equiped and stashed with artifacts thatll trill and draw you into a ghostly mood in the start, theyve engaged one of the most goodlooking curly brunettes ive seen since my wife stopped colouring her hair, but the story, plot, repetitive wake ups and reoccuring bloody sceenes, with a throatslithering aka Arne Nordheim the norwegian composer styled score, some strage or estrange love and relationships, that shows that falling in coma might be better than this.

Its an art noir of glory gory days, for the alternative filmstyle enthusiast, and that is not me.a non recommend from the grumpy old man.

Ashmore is great, and the movie will keep you off balance

[prettyh-1 · 8/10 · 20 October 2021]

I saw this as part of the Toronto After Dark Film Festival this year, and I wasn't sure what to expect. It looked like a fairly modestly budgeted horror movie, but I was interested because I liked the two leads (Shawn Ashmore and Narcos's Andrea Londo) and the director's previous film, The Triangle. Still, my expectations were tempered. The gist: a woman has gone through something truly horrific (quite the opening sequence - yikes!), and after attempting suicide she's struggling to regain her memory. Her husband is by her side as she gets stronger, but is he understandably overprotective... or is there more going on in the house?

Fortunately this movie - which shifts between psychological thriller and horror - kept me guessing, and it actually did a few things that I (a pretty avid horror watcher) didn't see coming. There were plot elements I suspected by about halfway through, but there's a surrealist quality to the twists that start coming around that midpoint that make that moot, because by then you're so uneasy as the viewer that it doesn't matter if you've guessed a direction. No spoilers: there's a dinner party scene that really starts to make you wonder wtf is going on, in a good way. The writer and director does a very good job at keeping you as off-kilter as the main character is clearly feeling. Who is being gaslighted here, and who's doing the gaslighting? Is it the fragile wife? The controlling husband? Is it the wife's mysteriously absent sister? Or the Danvers-esque housekeeper who seems to have an agenda? And who are the people who keep showing up outside the house...?

Bonus points to Ashmore, who plays into the "is he evil/is he protecting her" qualities of his husband role exceptionally well. He walks a thin line and keeps you vacillating between two extremes throughout the film, and it's quite fun to see. Another bonus point for the ending, which threw another angle at me that I hadn't anticipated at all.

A strong 7/10 rounded up to an 8 for Ashmore and the truly trippy direction it takes halfway through. It may not be groundbreaking but it's certainly entertaining!

Hoping for more from the Triangle guy!

[tellstar · 4/10 · 18 January 2022]

The cast is game, but this is a tedious, threadbare story that you've seen so many times before. Because it's so familiar, you wait for a twist that will justify your patience. A twist comes, but it isn't worth waiting for and the available clues are largely red herrings.

Lots of plot holes and inconsistencies. For example, if the main character is experiencing a delusion, the camera should not be able to reveal a plot point of which this person is unaware.

Some of the reviewers think this is about the role of men in destructive relationships. Sure, if the men are actual demons from Hell, which is the case here.

Has to be seen to be believed

[olympicator · 6/10 · 21 June 2022]

This was an amazing exercise in insanity. A young woman has a melodramatic conversation with her sister right before visiting her parents, then suddenly has a vision of pure horror. She wakes up in bed, suddenly has a husband, can't remember anything, gets weird visits from a bearded guy who might or might not exist.

I burst out laughing at least once every five minutes. Everyone is trying so hard to be serious, and the story is trying so hard to be terrifying, that I could feel the movie collapsing under the weight of its own incoherence. When is this supposed to be taking place? I noticed the rotary phones and the typewriter. Yet there is no sense of setting in the story, the old-fashioned props are just there to make things look gothic. Same with the grandfather clock.

So many times, Sarah would see something or experience something and then wake up, as if it were all a dream - to the point where I had no idea if anything was really happening or not, so I found it impossible to take anything seriously. What difference does it make what happens in this scene? She's just going to wake up again. And then we get so many bizarre shots of Sarah seeing Sarah. A different Sarah? An evil Sarah? A Sarah from the past?

Sarah and her husband have many conversations in this movie. But they do not sound like human conversations. Nick says that he wants to protect Sarah, and Sarah insists that someone is invading the house. Rinse and repeat. There is also the framing device of pig meat - early in the movie we see bacon, and toward the end we get a whole roast pig. Interpret that however you like.

Oh, and the photography. My god. Constant blur effects, and switching back and forth between different visions, to create the sense of confusion. I could feel the director grabbing camera and shouting into it, "THIS IS SCARY! I'M DOING SOME WEIRD THINGS HERE!"

"The Free Fall" is incompetent, preposterous, and insane. If it had been a little more fantastical and done a bit more with practical effects, it could have been another "Troll 2." I know this is a terrible movie, but I was mesmerized. You don't get unintentional hilarity like this just every day.

The Devil Inside!!!

[nimafathi_2002 · 9/10 · 24 June 2022]

Greetings to the viewers

Okay. I can boldly say that this film is one of the masterpieces of fear and supernatural style

As a fan of the horror genre, I would definitely say that you see that the film really has many positive points

Watch the movie until the end and be amazed !! The film engages all kinds of emotions, including curiosity, and this conflict of emotions during the film is unique !!!!

The actors played a great role The filming atmosphere was great The sound and special effects were great The story of the film was extremely unique The director did not censor the film and presented the film seriously

I do not really see a negative point in this film and I suggest you watch it

With humility Nima.

Way too many feet shots

[sjburg-87529 · 8/10 · 8 July 2022]

My goodness I thought Tarantino directed this movie, like 2000 feet shots in this thing. However really good movie, better than the rating average. Great twist also. Would recommend to any horror movie fan.

EXTREMELY BORING SLOW REPETITIVE

[secretsphantom · 1/10 · 14 January 2022]

If you want to be bored to sleep then watch this movie. Same scenarios of dreams from start to end. So repetitive slow and boring. Total waste of time. Don't believe the fake ratings this movie is a mess pointless and again a real borefest.

Indie horror continues to impress

[susieqeisus · 7/10 · 22 January 2022]

The Free Fall is another outing from the world of indie horror that proves that the most interesting efforts don't always lie among the mainstream. It's a haunting mystery surrounding a young woman who struggles to regain her memory after a failed suicide attempt.

The film is a low budget indie effort starring Shawn Ashmore and it certainly moves at a slower pace. Not so much for the Insidious crowd but anybody who has followed the A24 section of horror will probably find something to enjoy here.

The mystery is the driving point of the film and, unlike so many others that fail to engage, this one will likely keep you guessing to the very end. To say anything else would surely be to spoil it.

Give it a watch. It's not the best of the bunch but it's certainly worth the runtime. I so love when directors get it right with this type of film.

Absolutely Horrific in The Worst Way

[haeckeljill · 1/10 · 15 January 2022]

This movie was terrible. I rented it due to the fact that Ashmore was in it and he's been a really good actor in a number of other projects but I had to create an account just to say how bad I thought it was. And I'm huge HORROR fan. It's my favorite genre. I wish I could get my $8 back.

Pretty good horror movie. Absolutely worth watching

[kaidallas · 9/10 · 15 January 2022]

Well made, entertaining horror flick. If you were a fan of the Invitation or Hereditary you will definitely enjoy this movie. Production value is excellent, as is the acting. In my opinion it also presents a refreshing twist to the genre.

S.D.T - read on to see what it means

[homeflash · 5/10 · 21 January 2022]

S. D. T in this case stands for

Slow moving - this movie is moving very slowly, you will get at least 30 mins.. waiting for things to happen, well finally happens at almost at the end. I will not tell you want it is ...

Dumb - I found it very dumb in many ways, acting, plots and display. This film is made in 21 century, and old dial phone and typewriter?!! Come on, even it may signify something (spoiler - but you guess), but it is way too dumb to put those things there in this age of time.

Twist - Yes, there is a twist at the end, but then overall, it is not that great.

I gave it a 5 because of this twist, but acting and the plots are not that great. It could be done better.

An experience

[BandSAboutMovies · 5/10 · 27 October 2021]

Adam Stilwell wrote and directed The Triangle, which is a film I've heard plenty of good things about. This time, he's made a movie about a woman named Sara. She starts the film by waking up from a coma -- she'd witnessed something traumatic with her parents and attempted suicide -- into a life she doesn't remember. And while her husband seems helpful, there's the hint that he's being a little bit too controlling.

How controlling? Well, most of their house is off limits to her and she's constantly followed by her nurse Rose, who is played by V star Jane Balder and let me tell you, I've never seen Ms. Balder play a single heroic or nice person.

Also, when our heroine digs up her garden, she finds an intestine growing in it which is just one of the visions she's seeing. Is she still alive? Is she being gaslit by her husband? Has she lost her mind? There's a major shift that comes into the movie, so get ready for it. This is a dark exploration about recovering from suicide as well as the pain men can put into a relationship, so watch it at your own peril.

Movie was OK, ending was LAME!

[gunn-wrights · 5/10 · 20 June 2022]

It's the standard cookie-cutter mindless horror. Who is good, who is evil? What's the truth, who can you trust... etc... etc!

I may have been able to give it a 6, if the ending would have been interesting - but nope! Just lame.

RECOMMENDATION: If it's between cleaning out the garage, and watching this movie again - it would be a tough decision.

Were we watching the same movie?

[darkmomo-81831 · 9/10 · 12 September 2022]

This movie was awesome. Atmospheric, suspenseful, winding, and filled with mystery. Even when I knew what was happening I couldn't be completely sure. And the twist! Wow, I really loved that this was done in a new and different way. And the ending made me yell at the screen so extra points. Lol. Overall, I haven't enjoyed much in the way of horror movies lately, but this one was worth it! Definitely one I would rewatch. I dont' really know what else to say to make it reach character length. All I really know is that I enjoyed it and I don't enjoy most horror movies now. Glad I found this one on Hulu. Definitely a fun time spent watching. Had my stomach clenching and even got a little jumpy and paranoid. Love it.

Pasa away

[muscillopanella1622 · 1/10 · 27 March 2022]

82 minutes of nothing. Pointless. Lazy script. Bad actng, all characters.

Very boring. Very boring and and horrible camera work.

B class. For TV. Better pass time locking a clock.

All non sense.

A horror film which will keep you glued

[vishalfrombombay · 6/10 · 15 January 2022]

Surprised by some of the negative reviews out here. I was initially sceptic going into this movie, keeping in mind the hoards of nonsensical horror movies being made under $99 budgets. However, this film held my attention throughout, without me reaching for my remote even once.

The story line is simple, and it would be easy to figure out from the first 15 minutes as to how the story would end. I guess the writers figured out the same thing and decided to give it a "slightly" unexpected twist at the end, which really got me! The short run time eliminates unnecessary fillers, acting is kind of ok, and camera work could have been better. There is a constant background score which has been nicely done and helps elevate the ominous nature of the plot. Definitely a one time watch for horror fans.