Falling Down

Name: Falling Down
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: February 26, 1993
Duration: 113 min
Rating: 56
Cast: Barbara Hershey, Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall

1993

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 21 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 582 Ratings

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7.5

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7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 582 Ratings

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Falling Down

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Movie Details & Credits

Warner Bros. Pictures | Release Date: February 26, 1993 | R

Starring: Barbara Hershey, Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall

Summary: A day in the life of a laid-off defense worker, estranged from hiswife and young daughter, and driven beyond frustration in an endless traffic jam. After he abandons his car in the middle of the freeway, he crosses the city on foot, leaving behind him an escalating wake of destruction as his sanity crumbles in the face of contemporaryA day in the life of a laid-off defense worker, estranged from hiswife and young daughter, and driven beyond frustration in an endless traffic jam. After he abandons his car in the middle of the freeway, he crosses the city on foot, leaving behind him an escalating wake of destruction as his sanity crumbles in the face of contemporary urbanreality. (Warner Bros.)… Expand

Director: Joel Schumacher

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 113 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Mick LaSalle

A few times every year, Hollywood makes a mistake, violates formula and actually makes a great picture. Falling Down is one of the great mistakes of 1993, a film too good and too original to win any Oscars but one bound to be remembered in years to come as a true and ironic statement about life in our time. [26 Feb 1993, p.D1]

Empire Philip Thomas

While the morality of D-Fens methods are questionable, there's a resonance about his reaction to everyday annoyances, and Michael Douglas' hypnotic performance makes it memorable. Read full review

Peter Travers

Schumacher could have exploited those tabloid headlines about solid citizens going berserk. Instead, the timely, gripping Falling Down puts a human face on a cold statistic and then dares us to look away. Read full review

James Berardinelli

Sure, the viewer who wants to see a tightly-paced thriller with gun-play and emotionally-satisfying moments won't be disappointed, but there is a little more here than simple escapism. Although it takes a number of wrong turns, Falling Down still has the power to disturb. Read full review

Hal Hinson

Douglas again takes on the symbolic mantle of the Zeitgeist. But in Falling Down, he and Schumacher want to have their cake and eat it too; they want him to be a hero and a villain, and it just won't work. Read full review

William Arnold

The film probably should have been a comedy. It would be a lot more cathartic - and a lot more entertaining - to laugh at the grim modern world of Falling Down than it is to have a heavy-handed filmmaker rub our faces in the hopelessness of it all. [26 Feb 1993, p.14]

Mike Clark

Hopped-up Falling Down is a technically proficient grabber that exploits white-male angst while adeptly juggling two stories filmed in contrasting styles. Slick, maybe facile, and with a nasty streak, it is nonetheless 1993's first consistently engrossing movie. [26 Feb 1993, p.1D]

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User Reviews

Loucetios

Jul 6, 2020

Hard to believe this only has a 7 on here, they must have wiped the rating imo. This is a classic.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

IntelligentAndThroughtful

Jul 19, 2009

Phenomenal piece of film-making. The only ones who think this movie is over analyzed are the people who don't understand its depth. How about all of the reviews by white people starting off saying it's a scape-goating white angst revenge film. Supposing that a white man, unlike a Phenomenal piece of film-making. The only ones who think this movie is over analyzed are the people who don't understand its depth. How about all of the reviews by white people starting off saying it's a scape-goating white angst revenge film. Supposing that a white man, unlike a black or hispanic man; would have nothing to be angry about in the first place. Typical BS. The only thing more amazing than this film is the fact that it was allowed to be made in hollywood. Those were the good 'ol days!… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful

oblique15

Apr 10, 2013

What is wrong with the critics? They must be the old guys on the golf course scene! This is a Classic movie! I have have watched it over and over and over and over again, this movie never gets old. A whole lot of dark laughs! The character does a lot of things a normal person only wishesWhat is wrong with the critics? They must be the old guys on the golf course scene! This is a Classic movie! I have have watched it over and over and over and over again, this movie never gets old. A whole lot of dark laughs! The character does a lot of things a normal person only wishes they had the guts to do, after putting up with all the crap you face in life.It`s so good I got the DVD today.… Expand

10 of 37 users found this helpful1027

IRONK1979

Jan 30, 2018

A great movie that is really effective on bad days where you can live through the Michael Douglas character's eyes.

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

ERG1008

Aug 19, 2010

Man gets stuck in traffic jam, wants to go home, gets out of car & starts walking, has day from hell.
One of Michael Douglas's best performances as the ordinary man turned bad, Bill Foster, in this very watchable Joel Schumacher film.
Lots of memorable scenes & dialogue backed up with aMan gets stuck in traffic jam, wants to go home, gets out of car & starts walking, has day from hell.
One of Michael Douglas's best performances as the ordinary man turned bad, Bill Foster, in this very watchable Joel Schumacher film.
Lots of memorable scenes & dialogue backed up with a great supporting cast including a very distrubing Frederic Forest as the army store owner.… Expand

8 of 18 users found this helpful810

batuhanchu

Jul 18, 2022

A cult film in which we witness a man who cannot stand the system any longer goes crazy step by step. As you watch, there will be scenes where you put yourself in the place of the main character and give him the right. I think it inspired many productions. Definitely worth watching.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

DrBlahBlah

Mar 6, 2021

one of the most offensive and unintentionally hilarious films ever made, this reactionary fantasy is equal parts absurd and deranged.

0 of 37 users found this helpful037

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