Falling

.Falling is a 2020 drama written and directed by Viggo Mortensen in his feature directorial debut.

The film’s plot revolves around a complex relationship between an aging father (played by Lance Henriksen), a widower who begins to suffer from cognitive decline and confusion, and his adult children—primarily his son (played by Mortensen), who is gay and lives with his  partner and their daughter. The son brings his father into his home in order to care for him as his medical condition deteriorates.

The narrative moves back and forth between the past and the present. Past events depict the family relationship—when the family unit was just beginning, highlighting the special bond between the young father and his small son, alongside the eventual breakdown of the family, divorce, and the mother’s death. These past events are contrasted by the portrayals of the family’s present-day struggle with tensions and unresolved grievances. These conflicts are intensified by the father’s conservative, homophobic, and rigid personality, as he struggles to accept his children’s (and grandchildren’s) liberal lifestyle.

This appears to be a classic gerontological film: it addresses central and significant aspects of aging, including coping with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia; the burden of caregiving; and intergenerational tensions—if not outright clashes—stemming from gaps in values and conflicting worldviews regarding sexuality and family.

However - and regrettably - the film ultimately fails to succeed as a strong work within the genre. Its engagement with so many different issues within a single narrative framework—homosexuality, conservatism, physical and sexual violence, and more—and its choice to present them in such a direct and unsubtle manner result in a film that, in the end, lacks focus. So while it is definitely an interesting gerontological movie – there are much better ones.

2020

USA

Director: Viggo Mortensen

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQIZZEMLXrg