The Fall (2006)

The Fall is a very dark, yet hopeful tale of a friendship between a little girl and a man set in a Los Angeles hospital ward in the 1920s. Directed by Tarsem Singh, this experimental narrative is driven by gorgeous visuals and a thought-provoking plot line.

The title of the film has reoccurring significance. The opening sequence, for example, shows the aftermath of the protagonist, Roy Walker's, failed suicide attempt. As a Hollywood stuntman with a broken heart, he thought it would be cinematic to commit suicide by riding a horse of a bridge.

His failure results in his hospital visit. When he befriends Alexandria, a young girl who is admitted in the hospital for a broken arm from falling out of an orange tree, he tells her all of these lavishly fantastic tales in order to gain her trust and have her steal morphine so that he may overdose. His second attempt fails, so he must continue telling her more stories.

The story is seen through the little girl's imagination. The various characters are played by people we see around the hospital. The beautiful nurse is the princess, the leading male is Roy. With fantastically beautiful imagery, Roy tells an elaborate story to gain the young girl's confidence.

As the story progresses, it begins to reflect reality. Roy becomes increasingly more unstable, and the protagonist follows along with him. The relationship between Roy and Alexandria evolves throughout the film to a point where she falls in love with him, and wants to do anything to make him happy. She decides to try one more time to get the morphine he requested, but while doing so, falls off the shelf and is hospitalized after her brain surgery. Ultimately, Alexandria's injury becomes a model for Roy to be less of a selfish human being. He recovers from his mistakes and heartbreak, and continues his work as a stuntman, where he falls for a living.

Although the summary sounds somewhat formulaic with its happy ending, this story seemed so tangible and heartfelt. I was deeply moved by this film and would go as far as to say that it is one of my new top 10 favorites. The acting of the young girl alone, played by a remarkably talented young actress by the name of Catinca Untaru, is phenomenal. She's the perfect combination of adorable, genuine and believable.

If you seek watching something different, The Fall is something to consider. Its strikingly beautiful visuals, genuine and heartfelt actors, and gripping and emotional storyline are what make this film an unforgettable cinematic experience.