FIRST TIME WATCHING: Falling Down (1993) REACTION (Movie Commentary)

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[@THE_CDN]

"The most dangerous creation of any society is the man who has nothing to lose." - James Baldwin

[@benwollens7312]

That line where he realizes that he is the bad guy is actually quite heartbreaking, as well as really telling. This is quite the film...

[@Muck006]

He might be "the bad guy" (I would argue he isnt really) ... but he ISNT "a villain" ... because he was pushed to this reaction! Think of him as a kid in school who gets pushed around and bullied for months ... and then finally breaks and hits "back". Sure it is a bad thing, but is it unjustified? EVERYONE has a responsibility ... of "treating others with respect" ... but I feel that the self-centered american cultural tradition makes it easy be "an extreme a-hole towards others".

[@naebodyknows7016]

@@Muck006 no he is the villain. Its pretty obvious throughout the movie that his ex wife is terrified of him, his anger and contempt at everyone around him didn't start when he was sitting in traffic.

[@ClonedTyranny]

@@naebodyknows7016 Which is the flaw of the movie imo. The filmmakers scorned the audience after asking us to root for the guy. I would have enjoyed it more if they followed through on the "normal guy snaps" movie promised in the first half.

[@naebodyknows7016]

@@ClonedTyranny I agree with you on that. To me it seemed that they decided to make him bad just to make the Robert Duvall character be the hero.

[@ClonedTyranny]

@@naebodyknows7016 That, and I think by pulling the rug out Schumacher was forcing the audience to ask ourselves why we root with such characters, which is fine, I guess, but I would have preferred a pure cathartic exercise.

[@draskang]

I love how this movie has a character who is both right & wrong at the same time, nearly all the time.

[@shadycnetwork]

That's the best way to put it

[@giffysstiffy8874giffytuck]

It's not that black and white...he may have been a little over the line at times but he meant well and he was judged way too harshly by the dumb cop🤢😡🤡

[@shaunsteele6926]

let's be honest, he's more right than wrong

[@randomanton]

the anti hero

[@shanwyn]

@@randomanton I think that is the point. And it is represented nicely with his outfit. He was dressed in white up until the racist store owner which he deliberately killed. Was he wrong there? Despite of what you think, you 'feel' it was justified and the right thing. But at the same time, it was to much and he crossed a line. And that line is very flexible for every one of us. This movie represents that wonderfully in my opinion. One day we head out the door, g to work and have days where literally everything went sour. And we suppress the impulse to lash out and push back because it is the right thing to do. Yet we still have those impulses, every one of us. The next day can be the opposite, a beautiful day, the busdriver gives us a nice smile on the way to work and we notice a a child laughing joyfully and the world seems wonderful again. Both main characters have similar shitty lives, yet they deal with it differently. And it mirrors us, every day..

[@CrocodilePile]

This movie pushes some buttons. Underrated, unusual thriller.

[@giannag4581]

I haven't seen anybody mention him but Robert Duvall as the policeman was perfect for the part. He's an underrated actor for the younger generation but don't forget he's been in many great movies. Especially the Godfather 1 and 2, Apocalypse Now, Lonesome Dove. He won Best Actor at the Academy awards for Tender Mercies.

[@candicelitrenta8890]

He was also Frank Burns in the 1968 film, M*A*S*H*

[@actionalex3611]

Love him in Open Range co starring with Kevin Costner.

[@frankrodriguez2999]

I always liked him in Days of Thunder(1992)

[@pressman1788]

@@actionalex3611 Yes, Open Range was great, also Broken Trail!

[@bassage13]

Charlie don't surf!!

[@shainewhite2781]

My dad saw this movie on TNT in 2004 and he said that this movie shows us the real world and what everyone goes through every day of their life, whether it be consumerism, commercialism, or unemployment.

[@sosaboi1352]

A window into what modern America has become

[@the-NightStar]

That's weird, I always could have sworn this movie was a psychological thriller and character study about a deeply deranged and psychotic at-risk individual embarking on a terroristic rampage, and the danger that comes from not seeking proper help for unchecked mental health issues or using the scapegoat of societal pressure to justify delusions of dangerous narcissism. At least it was, the last 4 times I watched it.

[@fredwin]

@@the-NightStar So on every single one of your four viewings you conveniently ignore every single piece of social commentary starting from the very first shot that is framed?

[@sparksdrinker5650]

lol at the shout out to TNT

[@michaelblaine6494]

It’s all true

[@jeffsherk7056]

Wow. This movie is 30 years old. Hard to believe. I was in my early 30s when I saw this. The ironic thing, for me, is that 1993 was a better time in a lot of ways than 2023 is.

[@mE-zx7pt]

True.

[@mplslawnguy3389]

Smartphones and social media weren’t a thing and didn’t rule peoples lives. I miss it, better times indeed.

[@mE-zx7pt]

@mplslawnguy Also, housing was much more affordable.

[@mplslawnguy3389]

@@mE-zx7pt Kind of true, kind of not. Salaries weren't what they were today and interest rates were much higher. I think in general everything was more affordable. Gas was 80 cents when I started driving, cigarettes were $2, food was really cheap, among other things. I remember some grocery items like canned stuff being like 20 cents.

[@stobe187]

a great example of the "everything and everyone is sweaty" aesthetic of the 90s

[@jessharvell1022]

which arguably reached its apex a few years later with schumacher's a time to kill, the wettest movie ever made that took place on dry land.

[@JoeAugustAcoustic]

Kids

[@bigdaddyc4471]

@@JoeAugustAcoustic that movie made me feel like everyone had aids lmao , that shit made me so fucking scared of stds it's not even funny lol .

[@monki9941]

It would appear that they are going through a heatwave tho

[@beccas.7762]

​@@monki9941 right? LA in summer ain't a joke.

[@andrewkim6037]

The going price for a can of soda was 50 cents when this movie came out. To be fair, I think many people would complain about having to spend 85 cents for that same can of soda. Economically viable indeed...

[@djdeemz7651]

In the uk they £1 so about $1.30

[@aschlamishowsup]

I almost commented this lol. Thanks. Miss those days!

[@stoveboltlvr3798]

All through the 90's 50 cents was the going price. I have gone into corner stores in the city and many foreign owners seem to have an Animosity towards Americans. It's like they hate us but love our money. I think everyone has experienced this when dealing with these stores. This film sheds light on all of these thoughts we all have but never talk about. Like the flat hamburger compared to the sign.

[@DomR1997]

@Theriom Rasputin it's almost like fizzy sugar water isn't worth 3 dollars for 12 ounces lmao

[@DomR1997]

@@stoveboltlvr3798 in my experience, foreign business owners tend to come off as colder or more aloof because they're not super comfortable to begin with. They come from a different culture that speaks a different language, it can make doing business in a different country very intimidating.

[@mervgandishander]

There's tons of layers to this one and a tremendous amount of social commentary. Creating a sympathetic villain is challenging for any story but this one manages to do a fantastic job while throwing race, immigration, economic, mental health, and many other societal issues. You can't help but see both the explanation for Bill DFens behavior but also the need for condemnation of that behavior. Then you can't help but ask... what if I was divorced, unemployed, living with my mother with dementia, and the same people treated me the same as him all day and all I wanted to do was get to see my daughter on her birthday when I've been separated from her for maybe a long while..... how would I have reacted? It's almost impossible not to empathize with some or all of it.

[@see_horse]

"...“All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy. That's how far the world is from where I am. Just one bad day.” ― Alan Moore

[@djyanno]

I remember seeing a meme about this movie. It said something like "The older I get, the more I understand Michael Douglas character in Falling Down" Obviously nbot counting family violence issues

[@RocketmanRockyMatrix]

There was never any violence in his family. Just frustration antagonized by his ex-wife.

[@djyanno]

@@RocketmanRockyMatrix allright mister, explain your theory

[@RocketmanRockyMatrix]

@@djyanno if you saw the movie, the wife admitted that Bill Foster was never violent towards her and their daughter. The wife asked Bill to meet her needs and apparently wasn't good enough for her. Now, she is denying him to see his kid.

[@djyanno]

@@RocketmanRockyMatrix Yeah you see what you wanna see, that's what I get from your explanation.

[@RocketmanRockyMatrix]

@@djyanno I tell it like it is, based on personal experience.

[@gregquinn7817]

At @29:49 Robert Duvall's character wipes water off his face. So Michael Douglas's character really did get him with the squirt gun.

[@UnclePengy]

The older you get, the more you can identify with D-Fens.

[@williamkerner3758]

OK, I think you were getting to this, but the word that I think suits D FENS best is "alienated". I think this movie showed us so many examples of this. People were greedy, rude, so bound to petty rules that they refused to deviate in the slightest, self entitled, dishonest (the panhandler begging and claiming he hadn't eaten, eaten as he was eating a sandwich)...and all of them so uncaring that they wouldn't give D FENS one little break. D EFENS believed in the ideals of America, yet America did him one bad turn after another. And he couldn't take it.

[@caseybourne4115]

Michael Douglas has always stated that this was is utmost favorite role.

[@lightyagami1752]

To me, this movie is more effective than American History X (also amazing, of course), because it is more relatable, and therefore much more chilling and sobering. Falling Down is criminally underrated. But those who know what's what appreciate it. Iron Maiden (one of my favourite bands and amazing artists) have a tribute song (Man on the Edge).

[@sergiogarcia3730]

FINALLY SOMEONE REACTS TO THIS MOVIE! I’ve been requesting this to tons of movie reactors. 👏🏼🎬🔥

[@laustcawz2089]

I can think of one other reaction channel that's done this movie-- "You, Me & The Movies".

[@markmcme8349]

I feel for the guy. He's frustrated in life because he feels like he has no control over his destiny. And even though he "played by the rules" in life, everything has been taken from him. He snapped... Good commentary as always!

[@SoraJustSora]

But the problem is, you see at the end he's an abusive husband and father. He's a HORRIBLE parent, but a model citizen.

[@Patrick-sq8ym]

@@SoraJustSoraexcept his wife admitted she lied

[@mikeg2306]

The events of the story don't drive him mad, they reveal his inner madness.

[@prettypinkpopsicle]

He has done so many great roles. He's an actor, director, writer and producer. One of his roles I really liked was in The Game.

[@Bigwayne1984]

The game is excellent thriller. I also like American president (good for a chick flick)

[@Neilxtc]

One of my all time favorite movies!

[@nataliep6385]

and Wall Street 1987

[@erika8214]

Michael Douglas is a terrific actor. Disclosure is another awesome movie.

[@nataliep6385]

@@erika8214 never seen that one with him. I'm gonna download it for tomorrow! :) thank you.

[@Britcarjunkie]

Actually, this film was right on the money when it was released: when the Soviet Union collapsed, the Cold War was suddenly over, and the result was hundreds of thousands of people both in the military, as well as defense-related work, were suddenly out of a job. Aerospace companies either merged, were bought outright, or went out of business, and hundreds of military bases were closed down. Meanwhile, the economy tanked as a result, and inflation hit. Before all that happened, a can of soda averaged 50 cents, a candybar was 25 cents, a pack of Zingers was 25 cents (and if you bought 3 packs at a Webers Bakery, a 4th one was free!). Best part was, almost everything you bought was made in the USA - nothing was made in China. Good times.

[@sdprazak]

One of my favorites EVER!!! Such an underrated classic!

[@AceCorban]

I don't know that this movie could have been made today though. Most modern filmmakers would have either avoided anything too controversial, or just made D-Fens more one dimensional. This movie finds a great balance.

[@robertparker6280]

We did, it was called "Joker".

[@mikeg2306]

​@@robertparker6280No, Joker is a pale imitation of Taxi Driver.

[@positivelynegative9149]

CI, five seconds into the film: Stay calm. Me: You watchin the wrong film for that. 🤣

[@OpenMawProductions]

We all hate being stuck in traffic. We all hate being nagged by our spouses and feeling completely cut down at work. We all hate the outrageous prices of things. We all hate the poor service at restaurants, and the often low quality food. We all hate that it feels like we do everything we're supposed to do and we still can't get ahead in life. We all hate seeing drugged out beggars looking for "money" and overtly lying about their station in life. We all hate gangs and gangland violence and how stupid and senseless it is. We all hate how dismissive law enforcement can be about certain issues. D-Fens is a cathartic anti-hero for the middle class. He does and says the things a lot of people think in a spur of frustration but never actually do. Any man, woman, creed, or ethnicity can relate to a lot of these things, because we all encounter them. It's not by accident that the first person D-Fens directly kills is the Neo-Nazi. Film highlights other things like our broken mental health system, broken families/households. D-Fens neeeded help, and he needed his family. There was no reason any of this should have happened. D-Fens is both a victim and a victimizer.

[@mikeg2306]

While everything you say is true, it's a false flag. The movie plays on our sympathy only to reveal that the guy was a psycho all along. In that way it's very similar to another great movie Taxi Driver.

[@OpenMawProductions]

@@mikeg2306 Except it doesn't reveal that at all. You were duped by the propaganda. He had a temper. He was never violent before today. His wife is very clear about that. The judge "made an example of him." For no other reason than she felt like it. Go watch "Falling Down is propaganda"

[@mattn1093]

His best movie, which is highly under-rated, is The Game. It is a movie you will never forget and one of my favorites. Please do a reaction to it if you can.

[@deg6788]

M douglas liked this role the most of his whole career.

[@kristofferholst6053]

@@deg6788 hmm, I remember seeing an interview where he named “wonder boys” as his favorite

[@msw8966]

That movie always stuck out in my head. Very underated movie.

[@AbsoluteApril]

yes please, another vote for The Game

[@claudios5007]

Yes, please. "The Game" is great.

[@frankrodriguez2999]

When you finish your three months of Marine Corps bootcamp your last night would be either a dinner with your family and Drill Instructors or a movie night so when I finished bootcamp this was the movie they showed in May of 1993.

[@shaitanlavey]

Hands down my favorite Michael Douglas role. Thanks for finally getting to this one.

[@Scallycowell]

Dfens as a character definitely hits differently post-2020

[@Scallycowell]

@@map3384 what the fuck

[@richardclingempeel6111]

Too many woman use the system against their ex's, and keep their kids from them to hurt them. Sometimes they push them over the edge until they snap.

[@vtown5630]

My mom did the same thing to my Dad thank God He was a smart Man

[@forumicebreaker]

Yes.

[@SurvivorBri]

Michael Douglas has always said that this was his favorite character he ever played. The one thing that always saddened me about this movie is that the detective can't retire at the end. Taking someone's life as his last act as a police officer was not how he wanted to go out.

[@_Some_Guy_]

Basic Instict, starring Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone is another iconic movie from the early 90s

[@amariebloom]

Also Disclosure

[@robertnguyen9493]

Michael Douglas has listed this as one of his favorite movies he’s ever done. Even the characters crew cut hairstyle was Douglas’s idea. He and Robert Duvall’s character are two sides of the same coin, both men seemingly from a different time lost in the modern world. Both seemingly unappreciated and disrespected by their peers, with the simple goal get home.

[@djdeemz7651]

Every year you get older the more relatable he becomes ....

[@jpa5038]

There's two elements to this movie. First you have the idea of the forgotten man. Then you have the psychological aspect of a man who's alienated his wife and child and can't process that his actions lead to where he is.

[@timothyhennon1510]

85 cents for a can of Coke is a steal by today's standards, but for 1992-93 (when this movie was filmed) it was a bit steep. I remember the standard price from a vending machine being 50 cents, though, for the better part of 10 years. Then around 1993 or so, it started creeping up to 55 cents, then 60, then 65, then 75, and never looked back.

[@shadycnetwork]

And that's sad. That it would be a steal today. I mean I'm not suggesting people do what he did but at the same time Americans have bent over and taken all this rising cost up the tailpipe. A friend of mine once said he had an issue with gay sex. I said why? Most Americans whether we're talkin about covid or rising costs are either bent over or on their knees for corporations or Big Daddy government. Nobody stands up or fights back. Americans are ready to bend over or get on their knees

[@MeanLaQueefa]

My gas station has cheap cans @ $0.50

[@alleygh0st]

The American dollar lost more than 96% of it's value since 1900.

[@concept3009]

Los Angeles in the early 90s was something else. I spent the first 12 years of my life there and you could feel the tension everyday

[@map3384]

NYC was just the same.

[@RocketmanRockyMatrix]

@@map3384 it still is

[@mikeg2306]

There was a little thing called the Rodney King Riots.

[@1969Makaveli]

@@mikeg2306 That did it.

[@djdeemz7651]

"He's collecting weapons as he goes " 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 you have no idea he ends up with a video game inventory full

[@rustybarrel516]

The movie I watch when I’ve had a really, REALLY bad day. 😂

[@evolutionizer15]

This, Taxi Driver, and Joker are perfect for those days 😄

[@actioncom2748]

Remember when the media was freaking out over "Joker." They said it would inspire violence. The media freaked out about this movie back in the day. Look up the phrase "White Male Paranoia" And you'll see some of the news articles that were written about it at the time.

[@wantutosigh1117]

This is a terrific film. A lot going on here.

[@aldoushuxleysghost]

This movie was made on the heels of the gang and race riots of Los Angeles in 1992. I was in tenth grade when I saw this in theaters. I wondered what the hell this guy's problem was. As an adult, I know exactly what his problem was. Michael Douglas has a quality resume. Some of his best works are Romancing the Stone, War of the Roses, The Game, A Perfect Murder, Fatal Attraction and Wall Street

[@ellie.v9765]

YESSSSSSSS!! finally someone watches this amazing movie!! Thank you! This is one of his best performances 😍❤️🇨🇦

[@AbsoluteApril]

leveling up on his way home getting the upgrade weapons 😂 such a well done movie, enjoyed your reaction! have a nice day

[@iKvetch558]

As others have noted, the violent crime rate was on a sharp upward trend until the early 1990s, when it started going down quickly. But in that time of the late 1980s and early 1990s, everyone pretty much assumed that crime was always going to be worse, and the future was gonna be totally bleak. You can see that pessimism in movies like this, and Demolition Man, and many other made during that time. I am glad that you see how messed up D-Fens is from the very beginning, and do not see him as some kind of anti-hero. ✌

[@BainesMkII]

The movie was also released maybe a year before the idea of "going postal" went mainstream, where news coverage and the public realized that there were a seemingly abnormal number of stories of postal workers suddenly snapping and killing their co-workers in mass shootings.

[@ryanjacobson2508]

Crime rose by the year from 1958-1980. It went down from 1981-1984, then started rising again from 1985-1992. Around 1996, though, crime fell way down.

[@iKvetch558]

@@ryanjacobson2508 I think you may be citing the overall crime rate, and not specifically the violent crime rate. Either way, you are correct that there were dips in the rise of the violent crime rate, they were just shorter...so folks were especially worried about it. ✌

[@iKvetch558]

@@ryanjacobson2508 The violent crime rate in the US went up from 61 to 75, then had a one year dip before rising from 77 to 80. Then there was a 3 or 4 year dip/leveling before 2 years of rise with a 1 year dip before rising from 1988 to 1991 or 1992...which was the peak for violent crime. That is just from a glance at the charts, not the exact data from the tables. But you are still correct that the rise was not continuous.

[@pencilnecked1579]

Indeed, I was a kid (born in 1982) but even then we all knew about the 2,000+ murders a year they had in NYC in the early 90s.

[@bdoeden64]

Back then, a can of Coke would have been, at most, in Wisconsin, about 50 cents, and we had a vending machine that sold them for 25 cents right on Main St.

[@SuperDoNotWant]

Maybe it's different in America, but where I'm from, if you're buying from a "convenience" store, then you're paying a premium for the convenience. You want cheap, you take your arse to the supermarket.

[@bdoeden64]

@@SuperDoNotWant You are absolutely correct, but in the 1970s and 1980s, convenience stores till had lots of competition. And screwing your neighborhood was not a good marketing tool. Corner markets were a thing. Matter of fact, for all of my youth, born in 1966, we had a Sentry as our local grocery store. If you know what a Piggly Wiggly is, then you know what a Sentry is. My friends and I would get together on weekends to play games, and order Little Caesars Pizza and bike to Piggly Wiggly to get Jolly Good Soda - 2 or more cases with jokes in the bottom of the cans. Total cost to feed all 8 of us, with soda as well, probably around $20-$30.

[@MeanLaQueefa]

You can still get them at $0.50 at my local gas station. Plus Kwik Trip is 1.19 for 32oz.

[@johnr7999]

In an interview Michael Douglas said this was one of his favorite movies that he made. He did so many dramatic and romantic comedy roles, and this was the opposite of what he was used to doing.

[@ACab05050]

I love the song Iron Maiden made for this movie called "Man On The Edge". One great thing about this movie is that it takes awhile for a first time viewer to see that the main character "D-Fens" is totally unhinged, and not just having a "bad day" and you genuinely fear for his family when he finally gets home in the last act of the film. There is definitely a lot of subtext in the story. Glad you caught it.🤓👍 London Bridge is "Falling Down..." The movie was ahead of it's time because it was not well received when it came out, but now it is a cult classic. Michael Douglas once confessed that this was his personal favorite movie role to act.

[@luketimewalker]

oooh

[@BornAgainAmerican1]

You are right about this movie being controversial in 1993. As a black man, all I heard was the narrative of the angry white man. As a result, this movie was panned by critics and didn't do well at the box office. Its budget was 25m and it grossed 40m. I think the movie sales have blown up in the last 15 years since the recession. More and more people are starting to see this movie as a classic that was ahead of its time. His father Kirk Douglas said that this was his best work ever.

[@tomski120]

"I'm the bad guy?" Never been more truer

[@Andy2481]

This is a very unique movie and a one off. I knew when I first watched this about 20 years ago on tv and not knowing nothing about it, just came on after the football highlights, 30 mins in and I realised I was so into this movie. It was so different and real. Michael Douglas is great. This will always be a classic movie. Well made, great dialogue. Other Michael Douglas movies you might wana check out is - A perfect murder, The Game, Wall Street 1987. Thank Oliver Stone for casting him in Wall Steeet as this grey area type character cause before that he was just cast as the nice family type guy. After Wall Street he kept getting offers to play similar type characters that werent quite bad and werent quite good or 70/30 or 90/10 etc.

[@robertmorris8997]

Star Chamber, Black Rain

[@timothyhennon1510]

There was a reason Michael Douglas was one the biggest movie stars in the world in the late 80s and early 90s. He's a great actor, and it's good to see that the Marvel movies have introduced him to a new generation of fans.

[@jfox4098]

Wonder Boys is his greatest role in my opinion…

[@osmanyousif7849]

Let’s be real: This movie was everything Joker (2019) wishes it was.

[@dancarter482]

YEAH!

[@mikeg2306]

Joker is just a poor imitation of Taxi Driver

[@JJL079]

D-FENS the people's hero. Lost count the number of times I've just wanted to leave my car during a traffic jam.

[@the-NightStar]

That's weird, I always could have sworn this movie was not about any kind of "hero", but a psychological thriller and character study about a deeply deranged and psychotic at-risk individual embarking on a terroristic rampage, and the danger that comes from not seeking proper help for unchecked mental health issues or using the scapegoat of societal pressure to justify delusions of dangerous narcissism. At least it was, the last 4 times I watched it.

[@JJL079]

@ᵗʰᵉNight★Star •From being stuck in a traffic jam, •The price of a can of Coke, ( all he wanted was some change for the phone), •Why doesn't my meal look anything like the advertised picture, •Roadworks that cause traffic jams, •Attempted mugging!! These things piss people off, and everybody has their breaking point. Yes, "D-Fens" had mental health issues, but he's also human, and from the moment he snapped in the traffic jam, he decided he wasn't going to take any shit from anyone. And yes, I know the film takes a dark turn towards the end, but on the lead up, I can certainly empathise with the character.

[@unknownsword9042]

@@the-NightStarYou sure owned him on this KZbin Comment section!

[@INDRIDCOLD83]

Greatest line in the entire movie "Yeah! And now you're gonna die wearing that stupid little hat"

[@SSD_Penumbra]

The saddest part about DFens is that he, as a character, was just one of thousands of Americans in the 90s who snapped due to pressure. Still happens today.

[@salsanchez4177]

Its amazing what an impact this movie had on us back then. Its even more amazing the impact it had on Mike Douglas. Today, Mike Douglas will tell you that his most important role he played or will ever play was "D-Fens". He will not hesitate to tell an interviewer that his personal favorite movie to make was "Falling Down". I don't know WHY the line "It sure was hot today" marked the end for me. when he utters those words, u KNEW he was not walking off that pier.

[@jkeegan154]

The mother of the family having the barbecue was Sgt. Trudi Platt from Chicago PD.

[@1MahaDas]

I see this film as topical today as it was in 93. In the first place, Michael Douglas's character, Bill, had been unemployed for several weeks and he felt unwanted, and unappreciated as an employee. And then of course, Bill, had been recently divorced and was now a product of an unfair family law judgement that separated him from his daughter! I could have taken this route in life having experienced similar circumstances. Instead, I just became an alcoholic!

[@SuperDoNotWant]

Unfair. Family. Law. Judgment. He was clearly emotionally and verbally abusive (the video at the end helps prove that, in case you were confused). He had probably committed "proximal" violence (breaking things, punching things). He made his wife feel in fear for her life. In the movie he literally threatens to kill her. But sure, white man. Unfair family law judgement it is.

[@1MahaDas]

@@SuperDoNotWant His wife was unable recount physical abuse when questioned by police. We don't in fact know the cause for their divorce. We do know that he became separated from his daughter as ordered by the court, but there is no indication that he even has visitations! That's sounds unfair to me!

[@StinkFist22]

Michael Douglas said this was his favorite role in an interview.

[@mikeg2306]

This movie is brilliant. It starts out with you sympathizing with the guy in the traffic jam. Then little by little his personality and backstory are revealed through his interactions and the police investigation. The biggest reveal is when the briefcase he just risked his life to protect from the gang members, that you assume had some kind of military secrets in it and that's why he wouldn't give it up, is shown to have nothing in it but his lunch. This movie is like Taxi Driver in the way it treads the thin line between hero and psychopath, making us question the very idea of the hero.

[@leoda_lion4107]

This movie came out when the country was struggling through a recession and a lot of people lost their jobs. So it really hit home with me, when it came out. I love this movie, and in the beginning, you feel for him, he's just a guy trying to get home, and everyone is giving him a hard time. Its not until halfway through the movie, that he becomes so unhinged you are like yeah dude you went too far. But for the most part, you are rooting for him, even though they blur the lines with his character as a "bad" guy. Because we all have had a bad day, and wanted to just do what he did. He's a great character, and its a great synopsis of what is wrong with the world.

[@SuperDoNotWant]

Look, i love this movie. I'm old enough to have seen it at the movies when it came out. However, as the kid of an abusive father, I never rooted for this man. He was an evil, damaging force long before he stepped out of the car that day. And yet so few people manage to see it.

[@samuelbarrett1082]

Another great distinction in this movie is how it's also following the old cop. He's also having an equally bad day, but he's maintaining control of himself. Similar situations, different reactions. Yes, society and the system has only gotten worse and sometimes it seems like it'll break us, but it's up to us. We don't have to break. We can refuse to break.

[@spartan7123]

Hard to believe that the Man who directed this Moviemasterpiece also directed Batman and Robin.

[@map3384]

I always like the scene where he is watching the black fellow who is exactly like him protesting the bank wouldn’t give him a loan. College educated, military service and family man but the world turned his back on him like Defens. There is that one second where he says don’t forget me and Defens gives him the nod and the dude nods back.

[@lenorawilson2326]

Michael Douglas is a great actor and has some great movies under his belt, he has acted in every thing from comedy to action but best known for his dramatic roles. I'll leave a list of a few of his best movies. But there are so many more great movies he has been a part of... 1. Avengers 2019 2. Ant-Man and the Wasp 2018 3. Ant-Man 2015 4. WALL STREET 1987 & Wall Street 2010 5. A Perfect Murder 1998 6. The Game 1997 7. Disclosure 1994 8. Basic Instinct 1992 9. War Of The Roses 1989 10. FATAL ATTRACTION 1987 11. Romanticing The Stone 1984. 12. The Jewel Of The Nile 1985

[@userxl41drn301]

I would add China Syndrome to the list. Underrated but great movie.

[@giannag4581]

I know you said these were not all of his movies. But I think that Wonder Boys should be on the top of this list. That's a great movie with Tobey Maguire , Rip Torn, Robert Downey Jr, Katie Holmes and Frances McDormand.

[@lenorawilson2326]

@@userxl41drn301 I haven't seen that one, I will look for it and check it out thanks.

[@lenorawilson2326]

@@giannag4581 I haven't see this one either but will look for it, I'll have to good movies to watch over the weekend thanks 😊.

[@giannag4581]

@@lenorawilson2326 😊

[@pointblack808]

Easily in the top 10 most underrated movies ever.

[@webdrude]

This film definitely was ahead of it's time, and many would benefit from thinking and talking about it. I love some of the basic setup of the story: there's a similarity between d-fens and the cop following him - they both feel a lack of support. The opening sequence helps us share his annoyance immediately, before we know anything about him or what's to come. We travel with him while he gets pushed farther toward the edge, and we spend the whole movie anticipating that he will completely lose control soon.. then when it's all over we realize that in some ways he never lost control even at the very end, but in other ways he had already snapped before the movie even started. the constant escalation from a point that's easy to identify with means that each viewer can come to grips with his morality at their own pace, but by the time he asks if he's the bad guy the audience pretty much all agrees.

[@luketimewalker]

superb!

[@neilharris8210]

Great reaction dude. I think Michael Douglas is very underrated as an actor. You should watch ‘The Game’ if you haven’t already. One of my favourite films ever. Keep up the good work 😄

[@potterj09]

This was strangely one of my favorites growing up. The deep themes went over my head but the dark comedy was golden 🤣

[@pamelalee1508]

You made a lot of good points... The climate of our society is in disarray to be sure...so many points to agree with and so many that are out of control...85¢ for a soda..yep..I remember 25¢ a soda..5¢ candy bars..yeah I'm old... Here's hoping your year goes well... 🌿🌿🌿

[@Drawkcabi]

"He even runs like a crazy man." "He runs like Tom Cruise." "Isn't that what I just said?"

[@JV-ks3eb]

I watched this at the movies when it came out. It was a blast.

[@OrderOfTheGash]

The bazooka kid and the 'stupid little hat' scene are my favorite 😅

[@danwest9900]

16:08 - the actor playing the nazi store owner is Frederic Forrest who also played "Chef" in Apocalypse Now.

[@gonzaleo]

"Never get out of the boat man!"

[@lkgstudios]

saw this in the movie theatre in middle school and knew my future was going to be rough... but it is a great noir story and a great mirror of society.

[@thescott7539]

Here's how close to reality this film got: Falling Down started shooting as the L.A. Riots began. The L.A. in this film IS the L.A. of the early 90s. Sure, it's slightly overblown for film standards, but in terms of just the kind of hotbox it was in L.A. at that time, this film shows it. The scary part is, the bad parts of L.A. have gotten much much worse.

[@bplup6419]

The older I get, the more "Don't forget me." tears me up.

[@wolf99000]

Such a underrated movie cannot remember how i came to watch it but i was amazed how i had not seen it before

[@victorsos100]

Great analysis of the movie and just about how anyone can lose control at any moment. Michael Douglas is awesome in this movie!!!

[@sitebstudios]

A very underrated film! Great reaction!

[@sagnhill]

WHen I was 16 I could get a bottle of Coke for 15cents. Also, this was after the McDonalds mass shooting in CA so it struck a chord with everyone. Everytime I watch this movie I cry for the whole of humanity.

[@davidmeir9348]

Michael Douglas has said that this was his personal favorite role he played. Do watch Fatal Attraction, it's a tense thriller and excellent.

[@shoujahatsumetsu]

"This guy is having a case of the Mondays" I warmly recommend you to watch Office Space.

[@DoxGR7934]

This movie along with Leon the Professional and The Dead Zone are my Now That's an Ending Trilogy.

[@jpmnky]

When he says “I’m the bad guy?” that sums up pretty much 99% of all bad guys.

[@aviraider]

This movie came out just after the last breaths of the Soviet Union collapse. There was no cold war any longer. The defense industries and wave of base closures allowed for every American at this time to understand exactly how this guy felt. At the same time it didn't pack as much of a punch as it does today because we "won." The 90's were an era of growing prosperity in general.

[@ATJ-sTAt]

Douglas said in an interview that this was his nr1 movie.

[@philvenn576]

The background to this film is deep. While filming the LA riots took place

[@hackerx7329]

One of the things that makes this movie great is a lot of what he does is things a person could hear a little voice in their head telling them to do in those sort of stressful situations but the majority of people would never actually do it. How many times have you heard somebody say I want to smack that person, I ought to kill them, I should burn the place down. How many times have you been the one to mutter something like that or go scream in frustration when you could? Well, this is the guy that broke, his impulse control filer broke, and he just acted on all his most base impulses.

[@laustcawz2089]

Anyone who wants to can nominate this film to be added to The National Film Registry. See their website for details. The script for this film was continually rejected until Michael Douglas read it. He loved it & him in the lead role got the film green-lit because of his success as an actor ("Wall Street", "Fatal Attraction") & producer ("One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest"). In the '70s, he spent several seasons starring with Karl Malden on the TV cop show, "The Streets Of San Francisco". He's the son of actor Kirk Douglas. This film was shot (no pun intended) before, during & after the 1992 L.A. riots Few people realize that one of Michael Douglas's earliest movies was from Disney, a live-action film called "Napoleon & Samantha", starring with Johnnie Whitaker, a very young Jodie Foster & an honest-to-goodness, real live, well-trained & tamed lion.

[@driftersix2]

Dude, this movie is legendary.

[@jonbolton3376]

This film suits my sick sense of humour.

[@shawnj1966]

This character is relatable because we've all had days when we wish we could do what he does, but we don't. He has snapped and everything just snowballs out of control, but we still know he really isn't a horrible person. Just extremely disturbed. No excuse for his actions though. Great film and great reaction.

[@traho811]

It's good to see more Falling Down reactions. There's not many.

[@isaacfisher9858]

This is I'm my opinion one of the greatest movies ever

[@jamiemacdonald436]

I've seen this movie so many times, and I've never laughed once at the woman who throws up out of fear. But this time when you laughed, I couldn't stop lauging... for a while.

[@jamiemacdonald436]

@tele-gram-me-----CapedInformer Beat it scambot

[@gregorygant4242]

I saw this movie like 20 years ago. Michael Douglas ends up the villiain in the end but you kind of understand the guy . He was fired from his job , replaced by other newer guys maybe, just trying to see his little girl and family and everyone is rude and gets in his way. He goes overboard in his reactions , is mentally unstable , but you kind of feel for the guy. He loves his family ,got screwed by the system, is mentally unstable , loses it and gets killed in the end. Amazing performance by Michael Douglas !!!!

[@baronsengir187]

"Look at the way he is dressed. He is probably a threat" ...ooohh. Thin ice

[@zakarylux2271]

Also watched this with my dad. Loved this movie

[@filipohman7277]

Awesome Movie and Work Bro, Thanks 👍👍👍 Greetings from Helsinki, Finland 🇫🇮🇺🇸🇫🇮🇺🇸🇫🇮🇺🇸

[@dreamerlocs3711]

Aye Homie. Fun fact about this film bro. In 1992 when this Movie was being made, they was filming it during the LA Riots my guy. Then it gotten so bad to the point where they had to wait to the riot dies down. And once it died down they continued to finish the Movie and released it the next year in 1993. Real shit 💯💯