The Fallout (film)
The Fallout | |
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![]() Promotional release poster | |
Directed by | Megan Park |
Written by | Megan Park |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Kristen Correll |
Edited by | Jennifer Lee |
Music by | Finneas O'Connell |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 92 minutes[1] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $12 million |
The Fallout is a 2021 American drama film written and directed by Megan Park in her feature directorial debut. The film stars Jenna Ortega as Vada Cavell, a high school student who navigates significant emotional trauma following a school shooting. The film also stars Maddie Ziegler, Julie Bowen, John Ortiz, Niles Fitch, Will Ropp, and Shailene Woodley in supporting roles. The score is composed by American musician and actor Finneas O'Connell.
The Fallout had its premiere at South by Southwest on March 17, 2021, and was released on January 27, 2022, on HBO Max by Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema. It received acclaim from critics, who praised the directing, screenplay, and O'Connell's score, and lauded Ortega's performance. At South by Southwest, it was awarded the Grand Jury Prize in the Narrative Feature Film Competition, the Audience Choice Award in the Narrative Feature Competition, and the Brightcove Illumination Award.[2]
Plot
High school student Vada goes to the bathroom in the middle of class after her little sister Amelia calls her when she has her first period. While in the bathroom, a school shooting happens, and Vada hides in a stall with her schoolmates Mia, a dancer, and Quinton, whose brother is killed in the shooting. In the weeks following the incident, Vada's trauma causes her to become depressed and isolated from her family. She also withdraws from her best friend Nick, since she cannot relate to the gun control activism he has been spurred to do in the aftermath. Instead, she becomes closer to Mia and begins to spend more and more time at the latter's house.
At her parents' behest, Vada attends therapy and returns to school, but finds the ordeal uncomfortable. She cannot bring herself to enter the bathroom where she hid, resulting in her urinating in her pants when she hears the sound of a soda can being crushed. In order to cope with the stress, she takes ecstasy, resulting in Nick having to help her through the resulting high. After another night of drinking, Vada and Mia kiss and have sex. She and Nick argue about her poor coping mechanisms, resulting in Vada venting to Quinton and then trying to kiss him. Quinton gently rejects her, as he is not emotionally ready for a relationship yet. She withdraws further from her family and friends, including Mia.
Later, Amelia admits to Vada that she assumed Vada resented her for the phone call that had put her in more danger. Vada assures her that that is not the case, and the two make up. Vada reconnects emotionally with both of her parents, and reconciles with Mia, with the two of them agreeing to move forward as friends. By her next therapy session, Vada has made genuine progress in coming to terms with what happened, though she admits that she and Nick might not reconcile.
Vada waits for Mia outside the latter's dance class. She receives a notification on her phone about another school shooting elsewhere in the country, and has a panic attack.
Cast
- Jenna Ortega as Vada Cavell
- Maddie Ziegler as Mia Reed
- Niles Fitch as Quinton Hasland
- Will Ropp as Nick Feinstein
- Lumi Pollack as Amelia Cavell
- John Ortiz as Carlos Cavell
- Julie Bowen as Patricia Cavell
- Shailene Woodley as Anna
- Christine Horn as Mrs. Victor
- Austin Zajur as Dan Bonavure
- Yindra Zayas as Megan
Production
In February 2020, it was announced Jenna Ortega had joined the cast of the film, with Megan Park directing from a screenplay she wrote.[3] In April 2020, Maddie Ziegler joined the cast of the film.[4] In May 2020, Will Ropp joined the cast of the film.[5] In August 2020, Niles Fitch, Shailene Woodley, Julie Bowen and John Ortiz joined the cast of the film.[6][7]
Filming was slated to begin in March 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Principal photography began in Los Angeles[7] in August 2020[8] and wrapped on September 11, 2020.[9] In February 2021, it was announced that Finneas O'Connell would be scoring the film, marking his first film composing debut.[10] WaterTower Music has released the soundtrack.[11]
Release
In December 2020, Universal Pictures acquired international distribution rights to the film.[12] The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 17, 2021.[13] In July 2021, HBO Max acquired distribution rights to the film, with Warner Bros. Pictures distributing in territories where HBO Max is not available.[14] It was released on HBO Max on January 27, 2022.
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 93% based on 68 reviews, with an average rating of 7.90/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Empathetic and well-acted, The Fallout uses the aftermath of trauma to grapple with the experience of grief."[15] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 84 out of 100 based on 12 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[16] Kate Erbland of IndieWire gave the film a rating of B+ and said the film tackles "real emotional stakes in the gloss of social media, unearthing something powerful in the process."[17] Amanda Sink of The Hollywood Outsider called the film "a remarkable film that explores the ramifications of tragedy on our kids and how the human conditional response is not a one-size-fits-all."[18]
Park's direction and Ortega's acting were both praised,[19] and several critics cite it as Ortega's "breakout" film role.[20][21] Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter called the film "sensitive and piercing" and praised Park's screenplay and direction, the performances and Finneas' score, and wrote that "...Ortega's beautifully nuanced turn understands the nothing-to-look-at-here façade and the chinks in the armor."[22] Peter Debruge of Variety called the film a "stellar debut" from Park and noted that "Ortega in particular seems to have found her voice."[21] CinemaBlend praised the chemistry between Ortega and Ziegler, and stated that the "two girls at the center of it all also look phenomenal, as a true bond can be sensed in the process of bringing this story to life."[23]
Audience viewership
On the week of its release, The Fallout was the number one most-watched streaming original film in the United States, as reported by TV Time.[24]
Accolades
Award | Date of Ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
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South by Southwest Film Festival | March 19, 2021 | Narrative Feature Competition Grand Jury Award | The Fallout | Won | [25] |
Brightcove Illumination Award | Megan Park | Won | |||
March 23, 2021 | Narrative Feature Competition Audience Award | The Fallout | Won | [26] | |
Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Awards | July 1, 2022 | Best Actress | Jenna Ortega | Nominated | [27] |
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | August 14, 2022 | Best Streaming Movie | The Fallout | Nominated | [28] |
References
- ^ "The Fallout". South by Southwest. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
- ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (March 19, 2021). "SXSW Film Festival: 'The Fallout' And Docu 'Lily Topples The World' Among Jury Award Winners". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 19, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (February 22, 2020). "'You' Star Jenna Ortega To Lead Cast In High-School Drama 'The Fallout' From Writer-Director Megan Park – EFM". Deadline. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Galuppo, Mia (April 17, 2020). "Maddie Ziegler Joins Jenna Ortega in Teen Drama 'The Fallout' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
- ^ Day-Ramos, Dino (May 18, 2020). "Lexy Kolker Joins 'Manifest West', 'The Fallout' Adds Will Ropp". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 14, 2020). "'This Is Us' Actor Niles Fitch Joins Jenna Ortega In 'The Fallout'". Deadline. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Wiseman, Andreas (August 31, 2020). "'The Fallout': Shailene Woodley, Julie Bowen & John Ortiz Join Jenna Ortega & Maddie Ziegler In High School Drama Filming In LA". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
- ^ Megan Park [@meganparkithere] (August 11, 2020). "I started directing my first feature film last week. It's also world breastfeeding week so I thought this picture of me pumping and eating a lactation cookie in between set ups was fitting. Pumping/feeding while working is really hard but women are gd queens and we can do it all?! I'm proud of us?! ❤️🤭😷". Retrieved March 19, 2021 – via Instagram.
- ^ Rebecca Miller [@checkaboo] (September 12, 2020). "That's a wrap on @the_fallout_movie! Can't wait to share this one. Worked with truly the best cast and crew who worked so hard while masked during a pandemic to bring this to life. This is the closest we all got to each other in the last month. Lol. Thank You". Retrieved March 19, 2021 – via Instagram.
- ^ Hampp, Andrew (February 10, 2021). "Finneas Preps First Film Score With High School Drama 'The Fallout' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ "The Fallout (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) WaterTower Music". The Fallout (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) WaterTower Music. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (December 8, 2020). "Universal Taking All International Rights To 'The Fallout' Starring Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler, Shailene Woodley, Niles Fitch & Julie Bowen". Deadline. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
- ^ Day-Ramos, Dino (February 10, 2021). "SXSW Film Festival Unveils Full Lineup; Charli XCX Quarantine Feature To Close Fest; Tom Petty Docu Set As Centerpiece". Deadline. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 27, 2021). "Warner Bros Takes Global On SXSW Multi-Award Winner 'The Fallout' For HBO Max". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
- ^ "The Fallout (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "The Fallout Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
- ^ Erbland, Kate (March 17, 2021). "Megan Park's Heartbreaking School Shooting Drama 'The Fallout' Reorients Trauma for the Instagram Generation". IndieWire. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ "The Fallout | SXSW 2021 Film Review". The Hollywood Outsider – Film and Television Podcast | Reviews. March 24, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
- ^ "'The Fallout': Film Review | SXSW 2021". The Hollywood Reporter. March 17, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
- ^ Lattanzio, Ryan (January 18, 2022). "'The Fallout' Trailer: Jenna Ortega Stars in School Shooting Drama for the Instagram Age". IndieWire. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
- ^ a b Debruge, Peter (March 17, 2021). "'The Fallout' Review: Megan Park Takes the Pulse of a Shell-Shocked Generation". Variety. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ Linde, Sheri (March 17, 2021). "'The Fallout': Film Review | SXSW 2021". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ Mike Reyes (January 18, 2022). "Jenna Ortega And Maddie Ziegler Bond Over Shared Trauma In HBO Max's The Fallout Trailer". CinemaBlend. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
- ^ "The Fallout, Ozark Top Weekly Whip Media Streaming Charts". Media Play News. December 8, 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
- ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (March 19, 2021). "SXSW Film Festival: 'The Fallout' And Docu 'Lily Topples The World' Among Jury Award Winners". Deadline. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "'Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free' Wins SXSW Audience Award". TheWrap. March 23, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
- ^ "The 5th Annual HCA Midseason Awards Nominations – Hollywood Critics Association". Retrieved June 29, 2022.
- ^ Schneider, Michael (July 7, 2022). "'Severance,' 'Ted Lasso' Lead Streaming Nominees for 2nd Annual HCA TV Awards". Variety. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
External links
- The Fallout at IMDb
- 2021 films
- 2021 directorial debut films
- 2021 drama films
- 2021 independent films
- 2021 LGBT-related films
- 2020s English-language films
- 2020s high school films
- American high school films
- American independent films
- American LGBT-related films
- Film productions suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Films about depression
- Films about grieving
- Films about post-traumatic stress disorder
- Films about school violence
- Films shot in Los Angeles
- HBO Max films
- LGBT-related drama films
- New Line Cinema films
- Warner Bros. films
- 2020s American films