Falling

Great acting all around, solid story, good directing. Anyone who has spent their whole life dealing with an emotionally and psychologically abusive parent will relate, and unless you've been there you probably won't understand why the son and daughter put up with it. I did. My 95-year-old father died a month ago after decades of slights and hurts, and he still managed to deliver one last slap after he died.

I disagree with some who think this is just about a disease or dementia as if it somehow changed the father - no, it just brought out more of who the father really was. I agree this it was about love - how some adult children still want to love and have the need to be loved back.

Warnings: This movie had a disturbing amount of verbal abuse in the form of homophobia and misogyny. It is definitely not for children. Be prepared.

This film which should (I hate that word) be smooth and quiet, is exhausting. It's a train wreck with bodies being tossed aside one and two at a time by a vile old man who was even worse young one - and you cannot stop watching. Until he isn't. Or is he? If anyone has had a destructive personality (or two) in their life knows how true to life this film is. And how exhausting these people are. You want to love them, but ... While this film is difficult to watch, it is well worth it. Think what the actors had to go through to make this for us.

I love Viggo Mortensen as an actor, and now as a director as well. The film is nuanced but not always an easy watch (slurs all around). The cast is truly excellent and Mortensen's poetic, meandering but still accessible directing style and score is exactly my cup of tea. and Lance Henriksen... amazing actor.

I was a bit skeptic to the film due to the "bad" score, but I liked the cast and was willing to give it a try. I am glad I did. This is one of those good films, with depth and very good acting. The scandinavian actors struggle some with sounding canadian/american, but it's not hurting the film. I guess the negative reviews are from folks wanting something else, this is just a good movie.

It is an engaging story because it makes you feel. It makes you feel angry at the father, and sorry for the other characters. It is an effective and heart felt family drama.