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Fall (2014 film)

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Wikipedia article




'Fall' is a 2014 Canadian drama film.[http://www.therecord.com/whatson-story/5163335-terrance-odette-s-fall-chronicles-fall-from-grace/ "Terrance Odettes Fall chronicles fall from grace"]. 'The Record', November 29, 2014. Written and directed by Terrance Odette,[http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/hamilton-director-takes-introspective-feature-fall-to-vancouver-festival-1.2784410 "Hamilton director takes introspective feature 'Fall' to Vancouver festival"]. CBC News, October 3, 2014. the film stars Michael Murphy as Father Sam, a Roman Catholic priest who receives a letter asking about a sexual abuse incident he participated in 40 years earlier. The film was inspired by a past encounter of Odette when he was 14, but is not a direct portrayal of his childhood."Inside the Complicated truth of a fall from grace". 'The Globe and Mail', December 5, 2014.

The film's cast also includes Wendy Crewson, Suzanne Clment, Katie Boland, Linda Kash and Joel Bissonnette.

Plot



The film follows the mundane life of Father Sam, who tends to his small Niagara Falls parish. He appears to simply be wearily going through the motions of his life routine.

Father Sam's life is forced into descent when he receives a letter from a man named Christopher, now on his death bed, who Father Sam had mentored 40 years ago. The letter alludes to an incident when Father Sam shared a bed with Christopher when he was 14 years old, and asks whether anything inappropriate had occurred.

This leads Father Sam to embark on a roadtrip to Northern Ontario where he visits his mother and sister, and then to confront Christopher's widow Catherine. She bitterly accuses him of having sexually molested her late husband. Father Sam denies the accusation, but it is apparent that not even he is exactly sure about what happened 40 years ago during that night.

Cast



* Michael Murphy as Father Sam

* Wendy Crewson as Sheila

* Suzanne Clment as Catherine

* Katie Boland as Chelsea

* Linda Kash as Marcie

* Joel Bissonnette as Michael

Critical response



Reviews of the film are mixed. On Rotten Tomatoes the film has only 5 critical reviews. In their comments, some critics view the film as "quietly haunting and effective".Bruce Demara, "Reel Brief". 'Toronto Star', December 4, 2014 Others like Gary Goldstein state that "Murphys quietly precise performance ultimately cant overcome the films chilly gravity and unsatisfying finale".Gary Goldstein, "A Haunted Catholic Priest Questions his past in the slow-moving "Fall"'. 'Los Angeles Times', January 26, 2017. Liam Lacey of 'The Globe and Mail' says the film has a promising premise but the "follow through is solemn to the point of dullness".Liam Lacey, "Fall: Review". 'The Globe and Mail', December 5, 2014. Similarly, 'The Hollywood Reporter' states "The Bottom Line: Veteran character actor Michael Murphy delivers a quietly mesmerizing performance in this frustratingly static drama".Frank Scheck, "Fall Film Review". 'The Hollywood Reporter', January 2, 2017. However, Joe Leydon at 'Variety' wrote that the film had "the overall ambiance of stark, stripped-to-essentials emotional and aesthetic rawness that might have made Robert Bresson proud".Joe Leydon, [https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/fall-review-terrance-odette-1201981032/ "Film Review: Fall"]. 'Variety', February 8, 2017.

Awards



The film garnered five Canadian Screen Award nominations at the 3rd Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Murphy), Best Art Direction/Production Design (William Layton), Best Cinematography (Norayr Kasper) and Best Sound Editing (Elma Bello).[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/canadian-screen-awards-unveil-nominations-763287 "Canadian Screen Awards Unveil Nominations"]. 'The Hollywood Reporter', January 13, 2015.

Odette was nominated for the Directors Guild of Canada's DGC Award for Best Direction in a Feature Film in 2015.Pat Mullen, [https://www.cinemablographer.com/2015/06/the-calling-lead-directors-guild-of.html "'The Calling' Leads Directors Guild of Canada Nominations"]. 'Cinemablographer', June 18, 2015.

References




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