Slow paced yet affecting, The Fallout takes a real-world issue to create a thoughtful psychological teen drama, carried by a breakout performance by newcomer Jenna Ortega, and breaking genre conventions in the process.
Written and directed by debutante Megan Park, the film follows the experiences of high schoolers Vada and Mia after they are caught in the cross hairs of a school shooting. What follows is a tale of coping with and overcoming grief in a deeply relatable setting.
The Fallout is remarkable for the fact how it integrates a deeply upsetting and ongoing social issue with an exploration of mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress, depression, withdrawal and isolation. Its slow pace is a showcase of how long and different it is for each and every person to process grief, while also essentially being a commentary and a call to action for the ones in power to step up and end this repetitive cycle of violence.
In a time span of less than three years wherein multiple instances of gun violence have occurred, a film like The Fallout is more relevant than ever, highlighting the damaging and irreversible impact shootings have on victims and their interpersonal dynamics.
Park’s screenplay is elevated and brought brilliantly to life by Jenna Ortega’s lead role, who provides a visceral performance from where the audience can experience what it is to be like in her place and essentially be a part in her path to recovery. Ortega’s talents come to fruition in an epilogue so harrowing that only reinforces the message the film is trying to disseminate to its audiences.
Moreover, Kristen Correll’s cinematography lends the film an experimental feel, appropriately capturing the emotions of the film’s characters, while musician Finneas (in his debut film score) provides a poignant groundwork necessary of the film.
A rare but a quite important film in today’s age, The Fallout is a deeply insightful exploration into the depths of grief and coping, and a celebration of the human spirit and condition, while simultaneously carrying a political message within its frames.
Texts of A Pop Culture Buff 