Oct. 02, 2020|United Kingdom | Canada | United States|112 Min.|R
Genre: Drama
Description: “Falling,” a 2020 drama film, marks Viggo Mortensen’s directorial debut. The movie tells the story of John Peterson, a middle-aged gay man played by Mortensen, whose homophobic father, Willis (Lance Henriksen), begins to show signs of dementia. This forces John to sell the family farm and bring Willis to Los Angeles to live with him and his husband, Eric (Terry Chen).
John, who now lives in California with Eric, left behind his rural upbringing years ago. His father, Willis, a stubborn man rooted in traditional ways, resides alone on the isolated farm where John grew up. As Willis’s mental health declines, John and his sister, Sarah, attempt to relocate him closer to them. However, their efforts clash with Willis’s fierce resistance to changing his lifestyle.
The film features a notable cast, including Sverrir Gudnason, Laura Linney, Hannah Gross, and David Cronenberg. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 31, 2020, and was later released in the United Kingdom on December 4, 2020, by Modern Films. In the United States and Canada, it was distributed by Quiver Distribution and Mongrel Media on February 5, 2021.
“Falling” explores themes of family, identity, and generational conflict, offering a poignant look at the challenges of caring for an aging parent while navigating personal relationships.
Cast director: Viggo Mortensen
Cast actor: Viggo Mortensen, Lance Henriksen, Sverrir Gudnason, Laura Linney, Hannah Gross, Terry Chen, David Cronenberg, Paul Gross, Bracken Burns, Etienne Kellici
Original name: Falling