Falling (2005 Telefilm)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C-     Telefilm: B-

 

 

Michael Kitchen is back doing one thing he is excellent at doing, being a real so & so.  This time, it is as a predator of lonely women in Falling, a 2005 telefilm about what he sees as potentially his greatest misogynistic conquest yet.  This comes in the form of a neighbor, writer Daisy Langrish (Penelope Wilton) is quickly exiting her marriage that she is unhappy with.  He is there to take advantage, while she is on the rebound, emotionally damaged and still with her own issues.

 

He knows this and intends to use it against her.  Tristan Davies directs yet another winning teleplay by Andrew Davies (based on the Elizabeth Jane Howard novel) and unlike the many melodramas that might offer the same story, this one actually takes its time in going slowly through the situation and the consequences of anyone’s actions or inactions.  Kitchen is a great actor, but is going to be typecast for years to come.  Wilton is painfully accurate portraying the loneliness of the writer and the woman.  This one is worth your time.

 

The letterboxed 1.66 X 1 image looks good, with some good color, but detail limits are par for the course.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has very awkward surrounds, making it bets to play this in stereo.  Extras are text about the leads, but that is all.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo