Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

Falling Down
1993
****
Director: Joel Schumacher
Cast: Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall, Barbara Hershey, Frederic Forrest, Rachel Ticotin, Tuesday Weld, Lois Smith, D.W. Moffett

A deeply troubled man reaches his breaking point during a hot day when everything seems to work against him. At the same time, a retiring LAPD detective attempts to make sense of the man's acts of vigilantism across the city. Joel Schumacher's dark comedy is clever, original, and funny, and arguably the director's best work. However, the story does becomes a bit repetitive in the second half when everyone the protagonist meets on his route turns out to be an abrasive asshole. Michael Douglas gives one of his best performances since Wall Street.