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Falling Down (Patreon)

Published:
2025-07-31 12:00:08
Edited:
2025-10-01 23:36:17
Imported:
2026-06
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movie runtime: 01:52:35

Files

Falling Down | Canadian First Time Watching | Movie Reaction | Movie Review | Movie Commentary

Full length/Unedited: https://www.patreon.com/Cinebinge https://www.instagram.com/cinebingechannel/ Merch: https://www.cinebinge.ca BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cinebinge.bsky.social Simone & George are reacting to Falling Down for the first time! Canadians React! Subscribe | Like | Share | Comment Early Access & Full Reaction available on Patreon! #moviereaction #moviereview #fallingdown Instagram: @cinebingechannel Instagram: @simone.swan

Comments

Roger Davies

Some days we all get a bit D-Fensy

jmundt33a

Nope. The opposite of a vigilante hero.

Kevin Kerr

People overlook he was a domestic abuser.

jmundt33a

The Captain I remember most as Raylan’s father in Justified and the Lieutenant from The Ref. Note—For some reason, in the mid-1990s a couple of Hollywood writers had aging characters say “what can I do you for?” As a way to harken to a time decades past. If our Rage Ball is “rolling prices back to 1965,” this gun shop owner is being marked in some ways as a kindred spirit at first blush. Lois Smith doin’ work, eh? This, Twister, Minority Report, all the way up to at least Age of Adaline.

Anthony

Some of the things in this movie seem a lot more extreme now than they did when it was released. For example at the fast food place his complaints about wanting breakfast during "lunch hours" were met with cheers by audiences because at the time McDonalds had this same policy, breakfast items could only be served during breakfast hours, people felt the exact same way D-Fens did. And from a certain point of view he didn't really do anything wrong, outside of potentially being abusive to his mother, wife, and daughter, he was just taking a more hardline stance against everyday annoyances. He didn't hurt anyone that didn't deserve it, and only killed one person who was physically attacking him.

jmundt33a

So, for some reason…maybe someone with more cinematic knowledge of the 1970s or early 1980s can explain this, Michael Douglas starred in big money movies with social commentary (some of it biting) as obvious and memorable villains. However, America at large did not get it. He was so likeable or seductive or something that loud and lasting chunks of the audience saw him as an avatar or worse, a role model. Specifically, Gekko and this character. I am bewildered by this.

Stugotz

I completely agree with George's sentiment of "you're taking it out on the wrong people". I feel that way whenever people start rioting and burning down their own neighborhoods, you're hurting people that had nothing to do with whatever it is caused your anger. The people that are really the cause don't give a shit that you're burning down local businesses and destroying your own homes. It's so stupid.

Jeff K.

It's interesting, I was re-listening to the Blank Check podcast episode on Romancing the Stone and they were talking about pretty much this exact thing, and how he could never really break through as a movie star until he began to embrace this sleazier persona (starting a little bit with Romancing the Stone, even though he wasn't TOO sleazy in that - great movie, by the way, that George and Simone should watch), and then he had a string of sleazier and sleazier characters and the audiences just ate it up. And then pretty much the only non-sleazy role he played after that was in The American President, in which he was the pinnacle of wholesome and good. Maybe he had to get older before people could stop seeing him only as the sleazy-yet-charming guy? Who knows.

Anthony

Can you tell me what he did do wrong? As you can see the traditional way to voice your grievances, protesting, got a guy arrested, so the message wasn't being heard. A louder way of getting the message across for the most part worked.

Hans Olav Sletnes

Here's a bit of trivia for you: Steve Park, the actor who played the Japanese cop, is the same guy who played Mike Yanagita in Fargo.

jmundt33a

Other than Andrew Shepherd, the closest to non sleazy he got for two decades was probably Disclosure. Fatal Attraction, Jewel, Basic Instinct, Falling Down, The Game, A Perfect Murder. Quite a list.

jmundt33a

Blowing out the understructure of the road, machine-gunning the phone booth, not intervening for the protester, terrorizing the bodega owner. More?

Jeff K.

Raymond J. Barry (the captain) was also the dad in Walk Hard, which is a movie I really hope they eventually watch. Probably need to watch Walk the Line first, but it's so worthwhile. (Not that Walk the Line isn't good - it's excellent - but Walk Hard is John C. Reilly at the absolute top of his game.)

jmundt33a

For a long time. The image people seem to have taken with them is what was playing as the credits rolled. As if those smiles were never forced.

jmundt33a

Wasn’t the driveby carnage because they were shooting at him? Or did I confabulate that. He didn’t use overwhelming force to get medical care for survivors. And what triggered his rage was not what the protester was calling attention to. He was gearing up to be an f.a.

Mike C

The fascist was subdued. The virtuous thing is to leave the store and call the police/911. He did not have to kill him, as viscerally satisfying as that is. And his whole “I’m not like you” is ironic, considering the casual mild bigotry he displays to both the shop owner (“learn the language”) and the gangbangers (“I would read the signs [graffiti] if their were in my language”). Going from unemployed defense contractor worker to nazi memorabilia collector and “red-piller” is not such a leap as Foster suggests.

Christina Doxstader

Since you brought up having to deal with the guy looking for money and him having a long story and all that, I'll just say that I just shut them down and hand them a few bucks if I have any on me. They obviously need the money more than I do and I have no problem helping them out when I can.

Anthony

Subdued? He was in the process of assaulting him and potentially leading up to killing him when D-Fens stabbed him, and if you think he'd stop there, you haven't watched enough police bodycam footage. If someone is a threat to you, the safest advice is to "keep shooting until the threat is neutralised". At least that's the advice given to military and police. As for the "I'm not like you" thing, he's very much not. He doesn't hate foreigners, it's natural to want foreign people, who have immigrated to the country, to speak the native language at an understandable level. That's nothing like the nazi that would want the foreigner dead no matter how well he spoke the language. As for the gangbangers, graffiti/gang tags have varying styles, and especially since the bangers are mexican/hispanic, if the tags are even legible they're likely in Spanish. America, especially for white Americans, is an English speaking country, so D-Fens would have no reason to know Spanish, though even if he did we go back to the legibility of the tags again. Also if you think that all you need to become a nazi memorabilia collector and whatever you think a "red-piller" is, is to be unemployed, I worry for you.

Anthony

So the guy who got shot at is responsible for being shot at? What next, rape victims are responsible for rapists trying to rape them? Black people are responsible for racists calling them the n-word? And so what if he didn't get them medical attention, they were literally just shooting at him trying to kill him. Though if you're referring to the other people who got shot, there were many other bystanders already helping them, why is it D-Fens' responsibility alone? As for the protestor, it's not about that triggering his rage, that very much happened in the literal first scene, the scene with the protestor was partly foreshadowing his own backstory, as we later learn he's unemployed, but also to show that if he had been voicing his opinion in the "correct" way, he'd simply be arrested for it. Also I don't know what an "f.a" is so I can't say anything about that.

Mike C

Watch the full scene. The fascist is slumped, in shock looking at himself in the mirror. Foster shot him in the back. That is a choice.

Anthony

Blowing up the understructure of the road was an accident, he intended to take out the machinery, regardless though the construction worker admitted to the roadworks being for nothing, and D-Fens was attempting to hurt the construction company for wasting so many people's time through costing them money by taking out the equipment. Machine gunning the phone booth was to teach the other guy to stop being rude when someone is trying to use the phone, or for when they've clearly finished. As for the protestor, what was he supposed to do, fight the police? The owner of the corner shop could have simply exchanged the dollar for the change he needed. Instead insisting he pay for something to get change. Then when he tries to buy something, instead of simply taking the great loss of 35c he insists he pay the full price of 85c when he knows D-Fens only wanted the change for the phone, and only needed 50c. He simply gives him a smug look. D-Fens even tried to make a deal, he gives him the dollar, let's him keep 50c, and asks for 50c in return, he doesn't even want full change for the dollar, and yet he still refuses. Would you make those same choices as a store owner? Given a man that is clearly ready to break? The store owner kept antagonizing him, then tried to get a bat to chase him out of the store.

Morion Williams

Queen of the damned God Bless America Animatrix A.I. Artificial Intelligence IQ Mighy Ducks

Happy Hanukkah

I go way past hero or antihero, but stop in the neighborhood of tragic villain.

Happy Hanukkah

jmundt: Or perhaps they focus on 31:46 and his being willing to literally die for his family (insurance).

BJ Stephens

No one overlooks that., no one is saying his doing that is ok. People all have good and bad traits about them, you can condemn a person for one bad action, while applauding them for another good one.

Happy Hanukkah

"From a certain point of view he didn't really do anything wrong" From my point of view, the Jedi are evil.

Michael L.

Not specific to this movie, but I'm curious, why did you guys decide to stop doing that game where only one of you would look at the movie poster and then describe it to the other? I kinda liked that.

Happy Hanukkah

2:15 "Do it *now*, or else something bad will happen!" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hershel_of_Ostropol#My_Father (Not the best telling, but it's what I could find.) 4:44 The owner, he got pissed! Eat vegetable! 9:26 Incontrovertible proof that God is on his side. 10:55 "I hate people when they're not polite..." 🎵 17:20 😂 17:37 I am outraged at this. I hope the gay fellow doesn't proceed to go on a rampage. 35:22 I wonder if there might be any significance to that...

Happy Hanukkah

28:00 I tend to view the movie less as a character study of D-Fens, than an indictment of the modern world. The world can absolutely suck. Some people (like Prendergast) can cope with it. D-Fens, however, while not evil, was always flawed. As long as he had a framework that insulated him from the ugliness of the Real World (or lived in the mythical(?) Good Old Days with a better social compact) he was relatively functional and an asset to society, but once his support network got yanked away, he snapped. (Say, has anyone seen Joker?) I appreciate this movie for its ability to lead to interesting discussions. (In principle. You also have the "He's a HERO!" and the "He's an avatar of White Male Privilege!" factions.)

jmundt33a

Agreed. But not as tragic when you see how he treated his wife and daughter. And how petrified his mother was.

Happy Hanukkah

Here's a thought: The movie obviously invites us to compare and contrast D-Fens and Prendergast. But perhaps we should be comparing D-Fens and Mrs. Prendergast*. For example, until this day when D-Fens finally snaps, is she in any way "better"? * Played by Tuesday Weld, who had an "interesting" life.

Mike Jenson

Another good movie with Michael Douglas is Disclosure

Tom M

I remember thinking this was awesome 30 years ago. I thought it was idiotic this time around. This is like a wet dream for conservative men who have never been to therapy.

Happy Hanukkah

Or perhaps it's an appeal/warning to those dread "conservative men" to consider therapy? Hmm?

G T

Gotta admire the evolution. Thirty years on, and you’ve traded curiosity and wisdom for compliance. Used to see something human. Now it just pings your programming.

G T

The number of people who can only process this film through a tightly calibrated millennial lens genuinely surprised me. It’s not without flaws, and sure, it’s very much a product of its time; but watching people flatten it into “he’s an incel” is just depressing. I’d love to see a beat for beat remake with Jamie Foxx in the lead, just to test how quickly the discourse shifts to systemic injustice and social inequity or something 🤦 Glad to see at least one person here engaging with the actual substance.

G T

Damn, I remember when they stopped doing that. It was a while ago, but I think it was mostly because people just didn’t get it. Nothing big I don't think.

jmundt33a

GT—Amazing you got that absolutely backward. So, Wall Street is about the brilliance of investment bankers, right? And the night sky is a firmament? 😮‍💨 Happy—I can guarantee that’s not how it was received at the time. Not by that target audience.

Paul Mayes

George needs to shut the fuck up he has the same bullshit against men. The movie is about mental illness George is just a cold blooded guy when it comes to other men. Mental illness is very serious thing

jmundt33a

Well, she doesn’t kill, so it’s horrible, but most would see D-Fens as worse. But it’s just that the scale of the damage is smaller. However, shouldn’t Pendergast be getting her help instead of hiding it or retiring to be her caregiver? It’s also possible to interpret the film that she’s responsible for their child’s death and Pendergast won’t let himself face it.

Chris Foster

Don't like George's opinion, don't watch his channel. Pretty easy

Cinebinge

Hi Paul, while we understand everyone has different opinions and interpretations towards movies, as it is an entirely subjective experience, we do not accept or tolerant pointless and childish verbal insults. You do not have to agree with us, in fact we want to hear differing thoughts, but the one and only minimal requirement we ask for all patrons is to behave like adults. So with that in mind, we formally like to conclude any patronage from you and wish you best of luck in finding other communities more suitable to your sensibilities.

robodong

in what way did he trivialize mental illness or even said anything against men? the hell is wrong with you. sounds like you need to take care of your mental illness Paul

Gryff

I feel it wasn't communicated well for different peoples tolerances to abuse, not so much overlooked. He was yelling, to some people that is nothing.

Happy Hanukkah

"Until this day when D-Fens finally snaps." I don't disagree with the rest. It's not how I generally see the movie (my "I tend" comment), but maybe my "Or perhaps" comment is more accurate; the movie's take-away should be "Get help!" ADDED: Especially in contrast to the surrounding ugliness, Prendergast seems like a saint. But his preternatural solo composure, while admirable, might carry its own price and not make him the best role model to aspire to. Heck, perhaps D-Fens vs Prendergast is not merely Bad/Insane vs Good/Sane, but rather Overreaction/Aggression vs "Underreaction"/Passivity.

P S

That stupid little hat line was my fav

Happy Hanukkah

Viewing D-Fens as the Good-Guy Hero is ... not very sophisticated. Criticizing the movie for glorifying him is merely the no-more-sophisticated flip side. Moving from the first position to the second reflects a "political" evolution, not an increase in sophistication. A blunter statement: The fact some idiots completely misunderstand the movie doesn't mean we have to. [I'll explicitly note that this criticism is obviously not directed at jmundt, given his comments here.]

P S

I think because they were criticizing him as if he was sane, processing things like a healthy person, like saying he's selfish. In reality he was insane with a very different state of mind and perception, he left the car because it no longer was important or had any significance, he was just going home from that point, a broken man. Having said that I didn't think they were offensive, just odd they didn't get he was crazy, or maybe how insanity works, its a complete change of personality and perception, so moral or social norms don't apply anymore as expected behavior.

jmundt33a

A beat for beat with Jamie Foxx or Cuba Gooding Jr, wouldn’t get the praise for spotlighting systematic injustice. It’d probably get buried under an avalanche of criticism for the use of a trope that predates the medium but was most famously criticized in Birth of a Nation though the elements are far older than film and have carried on into this succeeding century.

Lex Kuzma

The film is about the alienating and dehumanizing nature of modern society. The traffic isn't just an annoyance, it's a symbol of being trapped in modern life. The convenience store clerk's sin wasn't high prices, it was not being willing to work with his customer like a human being to find a way for everyone to get what they want. The problem with the fast food place isn't just that it's annoying, it's that corporate policies override people's ability to treat one another like human beings. Walk into any decent restaurant that isn't a corporate chain monstrosity and they're going to work with you to make you happy rather than being uncannily chipper while enforcing arcane hidden policies. This is the theme and D-fens, someone who is very keyed into personal respect, is just as guilty of it - rather than treating his family like real people, he treats them like props in the stories in his head. He's a tragic character because he understands the fault in everyone else but can't see that same fault in himself, and we don't know it at the start of the film but by the time the movie starts he's already way past the point of no return. By contrast, Prendergast's main strength throughout the film is his ability to connect with people as people and it's ultimately what allows him to save D-fens' ex wife and child. I think the film is clear from pretty early on that D-fens is not the hero of the story, but I also think it does a good job making him sympathetic. He feels to me like a deeply tragic character whose tragedy started long before his life started falling apart, when he started being an abusive asshole to the people who cared about him rather than getting therapy.

Lex Kuzma

Yeah, I've always interpreted it as saying the wife killed the daughter and is now dealing badly with guilt, while Detective Prendergast just can't see it.

Lex Kuzma

I agree 100% and I said this in my own comment, but it's not just that the modern world "sucks" but that it encourages us to dehumanize one another. All the sins in this film are people not treating other people as fully human, because the modern world forces us to operate transactionally rather than relationally. D-fens is a tragic character because, while he fights against that failing throughout the film, it's also his own sin and he can't see it. His abuse of his family takes the form of trying to force them into the fantasies he's constructed for them and then getting angry when they turn out to be real people.

P S

Good summary Lex, Yea the traffic scene was very symbolic and sort of a straw that broke the camels back, he already lost it after the divorce, loosing a job and he's whole life unraveling. A flawed but tragic character overall.

P S

It's the same great film, its just your political radicalization that deceives you.

P S

Good and hilarious point, it would surely go into victim hood right away.

Cinebinge

Hi PS. While we understand there are many different viewpoints towards this movie, we ask patrons to please avoid going into baseless accusations against others, the one thing we ask from all patrons is to keep things civil and do their best to keep the peace, rather than trivilizing and belittling other people's perspectives and opinions. Thank you.

P S

Yea millennials have a hard time understanding most that came before them, thats been their MO and identifiable characteristic for over a decade, same with understanding context and nuance. It's really baffling, but I do find it interesting on a sociological level.

Matthew Langley

I always felt this movie was just about someone who clearly had some character flaws and the potential to be pretty horrible, but overall it being about just going crazy, snapping, and doing all the things we dream we could in our minds but we don't because we're sane reasonable people. At least I think that's the hook, almost SNL, South Park, Simpsons, Family guy sort of skits about doing the crazy things we think about but again wouldn't do. Deeper though he's clearly presented as a bad person underneath it all sort of waiting for the right circumstance to do the bad things he clearly didn't think were bad things but probably just didn't do because society deems it inappropriate. He threw the rule book out and just did all those things that clearly don't bother him doing. So yeah I guess I agree it's about the dichotomy of a good person and a bad person in challenging situations where D-fens blames everyone else for his problems and is just looking to take out his crappy life probably based on his bad decisions on others, so we see it in cases we sympathize with like the gang guys and then people we don't sympathize with.

Happy Hanukkah

Perhaps the movie is suggesting the following lesson to all of us "normal" people with good and bad sides: it can sometimes be very tempting to throw out the rules and "go crazy." Looking at D-Fens, while everybody should agree that he goes too far, at least some of his actions seem cathartic and appealing. But can you draw a bright line of where he should have obviously pulled back? "One little time you pull out a prop, and where does it stop? Where does it stop?"

dys

I didn't exactly *like* the Michael Douglas' character on the first viewing as a teen like 25 years ago, but I could empathize with him a bit. Now watching this with George and seeing almost his first lines being to mock a store clerk for having an accent I come down more on the side of "society sucks sure, but he is just the bad guy here". Like he has valid social criticism to the same extent the Columbine shooters did. I was going to say the Unabomber but, having read his manifesto for my college technical writing course, I think even he had more valid points.

LUX

I'm totally on our protagonist's side. They really have no idea what real life is like.