Falling Down 1993

Michael Douglas plays a working-class man, pushed over the edge by the stress of modern life, family problems, work difficulties and a whole slew of mental issues. He's basically on the warpath from the beginning, storming away from a traffic standstill to find (or instigate) a frothy, furious conflict with every step. Douglas's unnamed vigilante might play as somewhat sympathetic at first, or perhaps that was the intention, but as the climax approaches and more details are filled in, he's among the last to realize that he isn't this story's hero. Robert Duvall works a parallel route as the desk-bound former police detective, trying to get through his last day, who almost unconsciously cracks the case and throws himself into harm's way.

There's a lot of subtlety and context here, which seems lost in Joel Schumacher's hammy, literal direction. Duvall's coworkers tease him relentlessly about dying before retirement, an obvious crack at the well-worn cinematic trope, but it plays as dumb and blunt rather than witty and clever. The rampaging madman is treated with strange admiration, marching through a hail of bullets like a superhero where he should have seemed detached and unhinged. I don't think Schumacher completely understood the story he was telling.

With an excellent leading performance from Douglas and a sharp, surprisingly relevant script, it's a shame this didn't turn out better than it did.

This is a great film, it is a little overhyped but I found myself thoroughly invested in this film about a man who is slowly falling down mentally and can't take the pressures of his life or society anymore. By far Michael Douglas's (D-Fens) best performance ever as I believed his character of a man who has just had enough and just wants a day where he can let loose, doesn't mean he is right though and just remember he is technically the "bad guy" as this part of him that you see in the film has always been there mentally dormant.

I'll also give Robert Duvall (Detective Prendergast) his credit as well because he is amazing playing the police detective who is also falling down as no one wants to listen and hear what he has to say about these various crimes that are happening throughout this day, also yeah this film takes place over one day and I will say that you can feel the stress of these characters throughout the film.

If you are looking for a film that shows a mirror to society but also to mental health, I recommend this film as it is insanely clever in its direction from Joel Schumacher and it has actually got some really dark comedic moments. It's just really great filmmaking and it does deserve the credit it gets but some people have a habit of making it sound like the greatest, but I will say it is timeless.