Falling

Falling, a 2020 film featuring Viggo Mortensen, Lance Henriksen, and Laura Linney, is a profound and touching drama about a family at odds with each other and struggling to find common ground amidst personal contrasts and sustained torment.

The film is an unforgettable exploration of the complexities of familial relationships, powered by fierce performances, emotionally charged moments, and a thought-provoking narrative. It is Viggo Mortensen's directorial debut, which he also wrote, produced, and featured prominently in.

Falling is the story of two generations, focusing particularly on the relationship between John Petersen (played by Viggo Mortensen) and his elderly father, Willis (played by Lance Henriksen).

Living a serene life with his husband Eric (Terry Chen) in sun-soaked California, John is a stable, successful man in stark contrast to his volatile father. Willis is a cantankerous retiree from a rural farm in upstate New York, whose declining mental health compels him to make harsh and offensive remarks and exhibit unpredictable behavior.

In an attempt to help his father and perhaps find a way to reconnect, John brings Willis to live with him in Los Angeles. This shift across the country's landscape seems to mirror Willis's reluctant transition from independent living to accepting help from his son, thereby encapsulating two different worlds colliding - past and present, rural and urban, young and old, traditional and progressive.

Throughout Falling, both characters must confront their past and present differences to salvage what's left of their fraying bond, all amid Willis's worsening cognitive function which manifests in memory lapses and emotional volatility.

Playing out the struggles of John and Willis, Falling delves into challenging themes such as aging, dementia, and homophobia. It builds a world that is authentic and deeply human while spontaneously diving into the characters' emotional architecture through a non-linear storyline. The narrative effectively intermingles the past and present-day scenarios, unveiling slow, painstaking fragments of father and son's history. These shifting temporal landscapes are masterfully portrayed and add depth to the multi-faceted characters.

Meanwhile, Henriksen provides a remarkable performance, balancing his character's contemptuousness with occasional hints of vulnerability. He flawlessly traverses between Willis's stubbornness and the underlying fear of losing his mind. Mortensen, too, is exceptional in his portrayal of John who patiently bears his father's continuous antagonism, battling a constant turmoil between empathy and resentment.

Laura Linney, in a supporting role, plays John's sister Sarah, who also bears her father's tough personality but presents an alternate perspective on handling family rifts. Her performance adds an additional layer to the dichotomies and reveals the impacts of Willis's behavior on multiple relationships.

What is truly exceptional about Falling is the unabashed emotional honesty of its narrative. Every scene resonates with a humbling reality and captures the intricate complexities of human relationships, especially those involving parents and their adult children. Moreover, it intelligently explores the impact of aging parents on their adult children's lives by showing the strain it puts on their own emotional and mental well-being.

Visually, the film offers a stark contrast between the California ambiance and the rugged simplicity of upstate New York. The cinematography subtly hints at character traits, enhancing the narrative, and intensifying the emotions piercing through every scene. Not to mention, the film's score, also composed by Mortensen himself, further enriches the atmosphere.

Unflinching, poignant, and emotionally charged, Falling combines remarkable performances, a keen directorial hand, and a painstakingly human narrative to deliver a depiction of family relations and aging that is as real and raw as it’s heartrending. It’s a moving portrayal of how deep-seated familial ties can be strained by time, distance, and personal differences but yet are strong enough to persist through life's harshest trials.

Falling thus makes for a compelling watch, particularly for those seeking an emotionally layered story that does not shy away from challenging topics and urges a deeper understanding of familial relationships. Under Mortensen’s lead, it's beautifully woven into a piece of cinematic art that dares to reveal the complexities of love, resilience, acceptance, and forgiveness within the all-too-human framework of a family.