The Fall

From the director that brought to life the visually stunning film The Cell, Tarsem Singh brings to life a story within a story. Again in this story the separation of reality and fantasy is so well structured that they both could survive without the other. The strength of the stories themselves is due primarily to the writer, with all of the action in the fairy tale and real drama that is going on at the hospital captures your attention and just never lets go.
During the filming of a stunt, stuntman Roy Walker is paralyzed after a fall, and while convalescing he meets and coerces a 5 year old girl to get him morphine by telling her a fantasy with larger than life heroes. Visually this film is of the highest caliber, with sets and costumes that rival the old time epics of yesteryear and along with the multi-roles that some of the actor perform the mix of fantasy and reality has no peer. From the beginning to end you can see Singh’s handy work, the story and the performances are so mesmerizing that you almost wish they were real. Both stories that are told here are very intricate, but like most tales that later become classics the underlying plot is what drives the characters and makes them worth following.
I heard about this film by chance and took a shot in the dark that it would be a good as Singh’s other film and I was not disappointed. From Lee Pace as Walker to young Catinca Untaru as 5 year old Alexandria the audience is drawn into the lives of these two fascinating people that deserve every ounce of attention that the audience can give. A lot tamer than Singh’s other film, the lavish coloring and exotic locations is so fantastic that you end up with a feeling of amazement and wonder just what is he going to do next before your eyes.