The Fall

Last night I enjoyed a beautiful film, directed by Tarsem Singh, called "The Fall". Set in a Los Angeles hospital, circa 1920s. A stuntman crippled by injuries he received from an accident while filming, has given up on life. He meets a patient with a broken arm; a little girl who is from a migrant family. Roy, the stuntman befriends the little girl, Alexandria. He uses her innocence and her need for attention to get her to steal Morphine from the pharmacy. He plans to commit suicide with the pills. Roy makes up and tells Alexandria stories of 5 heroic figures and their adventures. As he tells the tale we see the story unfold through Alexandria's imagination. As Roy's depression deepens and his story darkens there is a struggle with the outcome of the tale as the teller wants it and the way an innocent child expects it. The imagery is brilliant! The cinematography and settings are so vivid that they are surreal. *****