As "The Fallout" (2021 release; 96 min.) opens, 16 yr old Vada and her younger sister Amelia are at school. During a bathroom break, Vada runs into Mia, one of the "popular" girls. Then the unimaginable happens, as we hear gun shot after gun shot. Vada and Mia hide into a bathroom stall, fearing for their lives... At this point we are less than 10 min into the movie.
Couple of comments: this is the feature length writing and directing debut of actress Megan Park, and what a debut it is. This isn't the first film about a mass school shooting, but I cannot recall another movie where the focus is strictly on the aftermath of the shooting for the survivors. The film's main character is 16 yr old Vada, who lives a life of privilege, surrounded by a loving family and a range of friends. There are scenes of pure heartbreak, such as late in the film when siblings Vada and Amelia confront their fears together. The movie benefits enormously from Jenna Ortega's performance as Vada, truly a breakout role, and a thankful breather from her many slasher film roles including the current "Scream" and the upcoming "Studio 666" and "X". But in the end, much of the praise is due to Megan Park's direction, as she tackles a difficult topic with empathy, nuance and skill. Last but not least, the film sports a superior original score, courtesy of Finneas O'Connell (Billie Eilish's brother). Along the way, the movie brings a blistering indictment against the never-ending cycle of mass school shootings. When will enough be enough? How will the politicians who fill their pockets with bottomless NRA contributions, be held accountable? Why is it that the phenom of mass school shootings is unique to this country? But those are topics for another day. Meanwhile if you are interested in understanding what surviving a mass school shooting does to a 16 yr old, "The Fallout" will give you a pretty good indication of that.
"The Fallout" premiered at the 2021 SXSW film festival to immediate critical acclaim, and then... nothing. The film finally went wide this weekend as it started streaming on HBO Max, where I caught it. There is good reason why "The Fallout" is currently rated 92% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Of course don't take my word for it, so I encourage you to check it out, and draw your own conclusion.
Couple of comments: this is the feature length writing and directing debut of actress Megan Park, and what a debut it is. This isn't the first film about a mass school shooting, but I cannot recall another movie where the focus is strictly on the aftermath of the shooting for the survivors. The film's main character is 16 yr old Vada, who lives a life of privilege, surrounded by a loving family and a range of friends. There are scenes of pure heartbreak, such as late in the film when siblings Vada and Amelia confront their fears together. The movie benefits enormously from Jenna Ortega's performance as Vada, truly a breakout role, and a thankful breather from her many slasher film roles including the current "Scream" and the upcoming "Studio 666" and "X". But in the end, much of the praise is due to Megan Park's direction, as she tackles a difficult topic with empathy, nuance and skill. Last but not least, the film sports a superior original score, courtesy of Finneas O'Connell (Billie Eilish's brother). Along the way, the movie brings a blistering indictment against the never-ending cycle of mass school shootings. When will enough be enough? How will the politicians who fill their pockets with bottomless NRA contributions, be held accountable? Why is it that the phenom of mass school shootings is unique to this country? But those are topics for another day. Meanwhile if you are interested in understanding what surviving a mass school shooting does to a 16 yr old, "The Fallout" will give you a pretty good indication of that.
"The Fallout" premiered at the 2021 SXSW film festival to immediate critical acclaim, and then... nothing. The film finally went wide this weekend as it started streaming on HBO Max, where I caught it. There is good reason why "The Fallout" is currently rated 92% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Of course don't take my word for it, so I encourage you to check it out, and draw your own conclusion.