Movies every day in May: Fall
This movie was recommended on youtube by The Critical Drinker (video - not spoiler), who rarely, if ever gave me bad recommendations. The "Fall" is a movie from last year about two adventurous young women. The story starts with Becky and his husband, Dan, and Becky's best friend Hunter, rock climbing. It goes smoothly until Dan encounters birds and falls to his death.
Fast forward to 51 weeks later, we see Becky as depressed and totally lifeless. She turned to alcohol and drugs, trying to numb the pain of her loss. She closed out everybody in her life. Even her father, who seemingly wants to guide her back to life. She frequently listens to xyz's voicemail, to feel connected.
The evening, when she talked to her father, she got very close to overdose, but literally saved by Hunter's phonecall.
So the two of them met again, and Hunter has an idea. In the true nature of adrenalin junkie's, she found an abandoned TV tower - yes the B67 exists in real life and it's about 610 meters high - in the middle nowhere to help Becky to conquer her fear, and get her life back. Becky reluctantly agrees.
Just a note before I continue: I am afraid of heights. So much that I don't like to step on a ladder, and I rather use a chair if I want to reach something high. My brother invites me to visit him, far away, and I say no every time cause I don't like the idea of flying (yes, yes, planes are the safest way to travel, bla, bla, bla). When I go shopping and have to go across a bridge, I literally look forward, and try to think about some nice things. Although lately I am getting braver, I still don't think I will climb stuff anytime soon. But I would be interested in trying out some indoor climbing.
Back to the movie. Fall is a beautifully shot movie, gives us a good picture of danger and the sense of climbing. I am not gonna lie, I choose late afternoon for viewing, so if I can't get through it, I just choose another movie for today. Climbing shots are both mesmerizing, but also screamed many times at my screen, that this is "f-ing insanse", and other things. My hands were sweaty and sometimes I truly wanted to stop watching and find some other movie.
The two actresses was amazing, conveying fear, doubt, fearlessness. Sometimes think that Hunter was a little dumb scaring Becky on the way up, but she was always encouraging her to take the next step. They got to the top of the tower, however after trying to go down the ladder broke…
Despite of being a true adrenalin head, Hunter seem to be the level headed one, but also jokes because when you are up high, with seemingly no way down, you can only do one thing: cheer yourself up, because their might be no tomorrow…
Stuck on the top of an abandoned TV tower is such a simple idea for a movie, yet it works. The title of the movie, might have double meaning and Becky and Hunter's relationship was tested more than one way. In the midst of all those fake "women power" movies nowadays, this might be a real one. Both characters are likeable, and I rooted for them to make it out alive from this seemingly impossible situation.
These are the kind of movies I wish I could have watched in the cinema, but I don't know if I could. I wonder if I have nightmares after this. During watching this movie, I thought many times, that I am insane too. Had to take a break a few times, and my hands constantly sweating and shaking. Safe to say, I won't rewatch this one anytime soon.
Fall is an amazing movie, a true gem in the middle of the high budget, but ultimately low brain blockbusters. Fully recommend it!
