The Falls (2021) User Reviews

Amazing

[isaacochoterena · 8/10 · 8 February 2022]

This movie manages to portray what it means to stop your life for taking care of someone else.

The love you have towards another person can make you change your whole life, this movie portrays it perfectly. The characters are very human, portraying their pain, their desperation and their concern for each other, the story has a very good development that fully explains each situation and the change that is suffered in the face of them. The film shows how life goes on despite your problems and that you must face them and resist in order to get ahead. The performances are phenomenal, they portray every feeling and emotion that the characters have, the character development is good, but the character of the daughter is never fully explained what she feels in the face of the adversities she goes through with her mother, the photography is good and the direction reflects in a human way how we face adversity despite the moments that the world is going through. I think there was a lack of developing the other characters and how the mother felt when she began to return to her normal life.

But it is a very good film, with which I felt identified and that reveals the human side of facing adversity despite the fact that the road to move forward is difficult.

A really moving storyline.

[daisychains01 · 7/10 · 31 January 2022]

7/10.

This film explored themes of mental health amidst the coronavirus pandemic, between a mother and her daughter. Personally, this film really moved me, people that have experienced family with declining mental health will understand, as it was portrayed very well.

The film is 2 hours long, I thought it was a good length, people have complained about it being too long, but I disagree, the film took its time in showcasing all sorts of scenarios, following both the mother and daughter throughout its course. Sometimes together, and other times apart.

I enjoyed it thoroughly, the acting was fantastic and the ambience of the movie was great, too. It is a slowly progressing film, but I do think that was intentional, as to reflect on the situation the main characters were in.

Extremely moving and beautifully executed.

[haidabom · 8/10 · 2 February 2022]

I was very touched by this movie. I thought it did an excellent job of handling a subject matter that affects many of us. There were so many moments that my heart ached for the daughter.

The strength of these two women was very powerful. I thought it was excellent.

The best mandarin-language film of 2021

[TheBigSick · 30 January 2022]

Pin-wen (Alyssa Chia) got mental health problems during the COVID pandemic. Her daughter Jing (Gingle Wang), who used to have a strained relationship with her, reconciled with her through various events.

The musical score is truly brilliant, particularly towards the end. Some scenes are pretty funny, e.g. The snake scene (including Liu Kuan-ting's special appearance) and the mental hospital scene. Alyssa Chia's performance simple blows everyone's mind. The result is a moving and heartwarming mother/daughter drama and also a dedication to people with mental health problems.

Ok, but too long

[joakim589-1 · 6/10 · 29 January 2022]

The cinematography here is great, and the actors are good as well. Nice to see some Taiwan culture. The story is quite thin. The movie is too long for what it is. Could have been better with a shorter cut.

Not master but still very good

[ks-60500 · 6/10 · 30 January 2022]

Psychosis is the theme of this story. I didn't recall any Taiwan product on this topic before, this is probably the first one. Demonstrating this sickness via the drama and help people understanding more on psychosis but in a very nature and moving way. Chia performance no doubt the top notch but I would say this movie give her a limit on her power of acting. I think if the ending is another way, it will make me rate down a lot. Glad it didn't end badly.

Quite a journey with an unnecessary ending twist

[tiffanyswift-01525 · 6/10 · 12 March 2022]

This film shines lights on the depressed, monotonous,tepid life since the pandemic. A faithful depiction of what marriage could be like and how irresponsible a man can be. But more importantly, it's about the relationship between a mother and a daughter,how they evolve from bickering to rely on each other, it's touching,heart-felt that you wish the two of them could live happily ever after. With new possibility, new home and the superior from work (what a delight to this character),they find a way out. Although the ending is quite unnecessary, while you are happy about the daughter,then it forces you you remind the title of the film and also wash away the tears that brimming in your eyes.

Beautiful little movie set in the current Covid situation.

[caseymahnote · 9/10 · 3 February 2022]

Mother and daughter relations tested in this stressful difficult times. The divorced father adds a further mix into this whirlpool. The teenage daughter was difficult at first but matures and grows up quickly when her mother fell ill from psychosis.

This is your movie if you're into emotional, family mix and tugging of heartstrings. Check it out if you make it to the last act, you'll feel a pleasant glow in your heart.

I wish there's a bigger reveal

[melodyso · 7/10 · 13 March 2022]

It starts off having a horror movie vibe, which got me expecting a big secret to be exposed. As it goes on, it became more like an ordinary story about recovery with some shocking movies tho like the mum hitting a shop pedestrian and house agent being attacked.

I appreciate its effort to destigmatize mental illness and show how recovery is possible. I just wish there's more meaning/clue behind. And the acting of the mother and daughter feel a bit flat, especially the daughter's innocent look.

Empathetic view of mental illness. Taking on a narrative of learning and rebirth. A few lengths. Confident directing. Very nuanced interpretations.

[thomasbouchardperreault-69340 · 8/10 · 12 February 2022]

Contrary to what the trailer for THE FALLS and the summary of the film posted on the Netflix site suggest, Chung Mong-hong (PARKING) used the current global health crisis not as the main frame of the action , but more like a trigger, for a rich tale of learning and rebirth unfolding over several months. Clearly, these are the cross-portraits of a fighter at the end of the rope, ripe for a healthy change of life, and a capricious young girl, who learns the hard way to become a responsible and generous adult. Along with an empathetic look at mental illness, the script doesn't spare Taiwanese society, exposing some of its flaws with aplomb. Adopting a slow rhythm, at the risk of generating some lengths, the staging is rigorous, cold at the beginning, then gradually warm, while the two protagonists find a certain balance. These are embodied with great nuance and sensitivity by the formidable Alyssa Chia and Gingle Wang.

The aftermath of Covid

[Genkinchan · 6/10 · 16 February 2022]

Let me start off by saying this the acting were all superb from the mother to the daughter give a wonderful performances in this psychology drama and tension set during the current pandemic situation.

After watching it the psychological damage from the mother happens after the divorce from her husbands Ho is having an affair long before the divorce.

I'm touched and moved by the daughter Xiao Jing who stepped up and handles her mother's affair.

But the movie is too slow to begin with and the length is too long to be Frank the first half of the movie really bored me to sleep

Once the movie enters second act things started to go smoother and faster.. I'm not sure this movie deserves a best picture for Golden Horse because I haven't seen the other nominated movies

All I can say is the acting the portrayal was great the message clearly convey

A good Taiwanese movie indeed but definitely a slow burn.

A gem from Taiwan

[albertrwz · 9/10 · 24 April 2022]

I am brought to this film by the number of awards that it receives. Despite mediocre user reviews, this film is truly a gem for those who understand "The Falls" from the outside as well as the inside. I think this film is going down as masterpiece in mental health related topics.

Score 9/10 highly recommended for a Netflix movie session.

Cinema Omnivore - The Falls (2021) 7.7/10

[lasttimeisaw · 8/10 · 16 July 2022]

"That said, THE FALLS is no slacker in drumming up its emotional proportions, after the tumultuous first-half, Pin-wen and Jing's stricken existence literally changes for a rosier prospect after the tarp draping outside their apartment is dismantled, its blueish constraint gives way to an open view of a new lease on life. Jing learns to cope with Pin-wen's condition in the latter's shoes, and such empathetic approach is vindicated gratifyingly and surprisingly in the snake-in-the-room accident. As for Pin-wen, she needs to disabuse the illusion that her ex-husband (Lee) will return, reconciles herself to"the falls" in her head and comes clean to people who genuinely care for her, like the supermarket manager Mr. Chen (Chen). Aptly orchestrating the life-affirming progress that stops short of veering into the lane of mawkishness, Chung puts great trust in Chia's performance. Feelingly transforming from a capable single mother to a logy head case, Chia dives plumb into Pin-wen's deterioration without pretense, and felicitously calibrates the dissonant co-existence of emotional sincerity and cognitive distance. The close-ups of her face gradually swelling with belated emotive register are evidence of Chia's meritorious chops. Somehow it feels remiss that Chung doesn't tap into the sonic impact of "the falls" to grace the film with some more pertinent references of psychosis, although Lu Lü-Ming's stirring score is beyond reproach."

-

Intriguing Pandemic Movie

[evanston_dad · 8/10 · 18 April 2022]

One thing I very much liked about "The Falls" is that it's explicitly about COVID and the impact it's had on humanity's mental health. Here we are over two years into a pandemic that has changed the world forever, and yet I can barely think of any movie that has acknowledged its existence. It's a weird disconnect I've been having trouble getting past.

In "The Falls," a mother/daughter relationship takes an unpredictable turn when the two are forced to quarantine together. It's a movie about how terrifying mental illness is, both for the person experiencing it and the person taking care of the one who's ill. But more than that, it's also about the need for younger generations to get out of their own heads and try to see the point of view of those who are older. That's not a perspective I see explored in movies very often. Usually the burden is on the parents to understand the kids and grant them their autonomy. Maybe it's where I'm at in my life right now -- 47 years old, a child who's just become a teenager, manager of people who are a good 15 years younger than me, nursed my dad through a terminal illness and am now taking care of my mom -- but I clicked with this movie and its declaration to a younger generation that the world isn't all about them.

Grade: A-

We are so focused with the pandemic, we forgot others

[lll-45131 · 9/10 · 26 April 2022]

We forgot there are other problems within the pandemic. Mother is ill pre pandemic. This movie was really amazing. We emphasize too much on covid but do we see what other problem exists? It portrayed pre covid, family distraught, pre existing conditions, amazing movie.

Strained relationship and life adversities in pandemic

[witra_as · 8/10 · 3 May 2022]

Loved how this slow-burn family drama quickly escalated in intensity after Covid pandemic. Chung Mong-hong tried to destigmatize mental illness into daily situations. Alyssa & Gingle framed every feeling superbly over strained relationship and life adversities.

A very awkward Taiwanese movie

[MovieIQTest · 27 April 2024]

As always, the acting of the two main characters of the mother and the daughter, like the their dialogue to each other, just felt so awkward and unnatural. It's the typical shortcoming that generally and only happened in the Taiwanese movie. Rigid conversation between the mother, daughter and among other supporting characters in this movie, as always, just felt unnatural, unrealistic and no chemistry at all. I just don't know why this weakness never seems to be able to correct or improve so far. Why the movies made in Hong Kong or from the CCPChina never have such problem? There were great movies produced from Taiwan, but the dialogue and the way those Taiwanese actors never seemed to be able to overcome such rigid, unnatural and unreal problem. The way they delivered the dialogue always felt like they were from the actors' mouths, not from their hearts, they just memorized it and delivered from their mouths; performing a play on stage in a one-dimensional way.