Falling Down

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Falling Down

R

Released Feb 26, 1993

1h 55m

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

75%

Tomatometer

57 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

A middle-aged man dealing with both unemployment and divorce, William Foster (Michael Douglas) is having a bad day. When his car breaks down on a Los Angeles highway, he leaves his vehicle and begins a trek across the city to attend his daughter's birthday party. As he makes his way through the urban landscape, William's frustration and bitterness become more evident, resulting in violent encounters with various people, including a vengeful gang and a dutiful veteran cop (Robert Duvall).

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Critics Consensus

Falling Down's popcorn-friendly take on its complex themes proves disquieting -- and ultimately fitting for a bleakly entertaining picture of one man's angry break with reality.

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Mick LaSalle

San Francisco Chronicle

A brilliant drama with black-comic undertones. The film is directed by Joel Schumacher and stars Michael Douglas, in what may be the best performance of his career,

Rated: 4/4

Jan 11, 2023

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

None of the characters ever rises beyond the level of his or her generic functions, and by the end the overall emptiness of the conception becomes fully apparent.

Jul 18, 2011

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Richard Schickel

TIME Magazine

Let's face it, there is an element of truth in the character of D-FENS. But it is, finally, tabloid truth.

Jul 18, 2011

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Bianca Garner

Filmotomy

Its technical aspects along with Douglas’ performance are praise worthy. There is so much to admire from a screenwriting perspective as it pulls you instantly into this world...

Oct 10, 2024

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Falling Down," a stellar film, is Joel Schumacher's miracle.

Rated: 4.0/4.0

Sep 7, 2020

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Barbara Shulgasser

Common Sense Media

Disturbing '90s crime thriller has violence and language.

Rated: 2/5

Jul 17, 2020

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Audience Member

“Now here is a man who would not take it anymore.” That line from Taxi Driver sums this movie up perfectly. Falling Down is basically what happened to De-Fens mental state, interaction after interaction we get more and more of his outburst. He spent so much time conforming to everyone else, others open act of defiance push him over the edge. I think that hill scene has got to be one of the best scenes in the movie. It illustrates his character more and more, when we finally see his room, it doesn’t show the characteristics of a psychopath. His rationality makes him not only entertaining, but very interesting. 5/5 stars.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/25/25

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Brad S. R

A morally confused satire with off-puttingly over-the-top execution.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/24/25

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Cecilia S

brilliant film, story, and performances

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/10/25

Full Review

Darius M

This movie wins at pretty much everything, from creating a compelling and relatable protagonist to its expert use of dry humor. The surplus store scene I could maybe do without but nothing is perfect.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/19/25

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Daniel C. M

Thrilling, amazing and relatable story about a man who has had enough.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/17/24

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Todd B

A good movie about a fired civilian becoming kind of a vigilante. Mike Douglas and Robert Duvall.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/30/24

Full Review

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1993’s Falling Down is an Eerie Reflection of Modern America’s Persecution Complex

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Synopsis

A middle-aged man dealing with both unemployment and divorce, William Foster (Michael Douglas) is having a bad day. When his car breaks down on a Los Angeles highway, he leaves his vehicle and begins a trek across the city to attend his daughter's birthday party. As he makes his way through the urban landscape, William's frustration and bitterness become more evident, resulting in violent encounters with various people, including a vengeful gang and a dutiful veteran cop (Robert Duvall).

Director: Joel Schumacher
Producer: Timothy Hyde Harris, Arnold Kopelson, Herschel Weingrod
Screenwriter: Ebbe Roe Smith
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Warner Bros., Le Studio Canal +, Alcor Films, Regency Enterprises
Rating: R
Genre: Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 26, 1993, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $40.4M
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR

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