The Fall

The Fall has built a real following in Australia on Foxtel Now, and in the US on MUBI among viewers who want their sci-fi to think as hard as it looks. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. An 8/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Lee Pace's performance is the anchor the more ambitious scenes need. Put it on tonight on Foxtel Now and see for yourself.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, The Fall earns its spot. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry The Fall through its more ambitious moments. In a hospital on the outskirts of 1920s Los Angeles, an injured stuntman begins to tell a fellow patient, a little girl with a broken arm, a fantastic story about 5 mythical heroes. Thanks to his fractured state of mind and her vivid imagination, the line between fiction and reality starts to blur as the tale advances. Lee Pace and Justine Waddell lead a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. It hit screens in 2006. The Fall resists the temptation to explain everything, trusting the audience to sit with ambiguity. The hit rate here is high enough that skipping ahead never feels like an option.

The Fall is satisfying on multiple levels — something to watch and something to think about after. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Watch for Lee Pace in particular — the performance elevates the material. Satisfying on multiple levels.