Fall Time (1995)

I'm not really sure what to think of "Fall Time", because in a number of aspects it's quite bizarre. As others here have noted, there is a significant homoerotic edge, one that is more pronounced than you might think since the story is set in the more conservative 1950s. There are also no characters to be found that you feel comfortable liking or identifying with, even with the three so- called innocent youths who are center in the action; they are quite stupid and irresponsible. And the ending is quite a downer.Yet at the same time, the strangeness of the entire package does to a degree make the movie compelling. The story is so unbelievable, and the characters commit so many unbelievable actions, it does get you curious enough to watch the movie until the very end. As sloppy and hard to swallow the movie gets, it's certainly never boring.I'm not saying this is a GOOD movie - my eyes were rolling throughout - but it's offbeat enough that it can't be easily dismissed. I would recommend the movie to a select audience, to those who are fans of indie cinema who also want to see a story that's far from predictable. If you are not that certain audience, you'd best stay away.

So extraordinarily bad on so many levels. It made no sense at any juncture. Characters never did one thing a normal person would do. The script doesn't explain anything. It actually made me hurt in my stomach. Didn't one single person who had a level of power over this film look at it and say it is incomprehensible? Didn't anyone like the producer think it might be a good idea to let a small group of people see it just to make sure it made sense? I needed extra lines to make this review long enough so I'm sticking them here. This film doesn't deserve any more discussion. It deserves to buried in an active volcano. Is this enough lines for this baby to get published? How about now?One thing you will learn from this film: Steven Baldwin is actually a functioning mongoloid.

**WARNING MAJOR SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW** 3 stars out of 10 I had the choice of this film and another film to watch this evening, and unfortunately, I chose this one.If I hadn't previously read some reviews here on this film, I wouldn't have had a clue what was going on, as it was, the film was somewhat confusing.Part of the problem was the characters, except for Florence, played by Mickey Rourke, all dressed almost alike. Okay, I'm not good at telling people apart at best, and when they're all young men, about the same ages, general build, and height and all wearing very similar suits, my ability at identifying them goes waaaaay down. I know that plays into the plot, but it also added to my confusion as a viewer.The film also failed to clarify why the characters were doing what they were doing.First we have the three young men, who are borderline still boys, who are wearing suits and hats and driving one of the lad's father's black Cadillac, without permission. Beautiful car - as this film was set in the late 1950's, back when cars were cars, if you know what I mean.The boys think it would be great fun to pretend to shoot someone and then stuff him in the trunk and drive off - shocking numerous people who will witness the incident. One of them is to play the part of the man who gets shot.However, their prank goes awry.Then we have more confusion. Like why does Leon (Stephen Baldwin)hold the two boys captive and torture them? Why doesn't he just drive off in the Cadillac and carry on with the planned bank robbery? I never understood that.Why the bit with a gangster coming into the bank and pretending he's with the FBI? Was that the way Florence thought he could get away with the money without being pursued by the police, or what? Then we have a totally unbelievable sex scene between one of the boys and a female bank employee, following him kidnapping her and waving a gun at her. Yeah, the guy was nice looking, but gee whiz I'd think making out wouldn't exactly be the first thing on their minds given their tense situation, and the fact he has some cuts and bruises. The cops are out looking for them, and they've double-crossed some dangerous criminals.Then when Florence finally shows up out at the fort where Leon is, Leon, who has already been blubbering, which seemed completely out of character for him, does still more bawling around, and Florence sort of comforts him in a rough kind of way. So were the two of them lovers, or what? We discover Carol is really Patty, and then she hops a freight train?! She didn't even know she was going to be out there by the train tracks - after all the original plan didn't involve driving out to the fort. So what was her original plan? Or did she just see an opportunity and take it? Whoever decides to watch this film, I wish them luck in getting more out of it than I did.

Fall Time was such an underrated film. I cannot believe that this film got the critical mauling that it did. Everything about it (save, maybe, for Sheryl Lee, who comes across as a bit hammy) is near perfect. The director, Paul Warner should be commended for pulling off a film with a decent Mickey Rourke performance, and, as an actor myself. If i ever get the chance to work with this director, it would be a dream come true. I'm so glad to see that he's got another film in the pipeline. Roll on it's release.