Things People do

I think Bentley's role was created to ask the question, "How far would you go to maintain appearances for yourself and your family?" But what could've been rich in meaning is played out in a trite way.

It's a very difficult movie to sell. Our main character is not really that likable, with some traits that a Hollywood Blockbuster would attribute to its bad guy. But this is not a Hollywood movie, so if you're looking for senseless entertainment, you'd be better off looking somewhere else for that.

No this is a character study, which is well played by Wes Bentley. Even though he seems to be pigeonholed into this sort of a role, you still cannot deny his charisma and his power to portray men in despair. His looks/face alone is worth a lot. But him alone is not enough, you need someone like Jason Isaacs to balance all that stuff. Another man with issues of his own, these two men seem to find each other, even without looking. The "friendship" that ensues is not one that seems to have long lasting power though ... but you'll have to watch the movie, to see how that drama and web of lies unfolds ...

I doubt 'After the Fall' was conceived as a sequel to 'Falling Down' but the movies do have a similar subject. Wes Bentley plays the protagonist, who begins to have money issues after losing his job. His character is completely unsympathetic, a sociopath who lies easily to his family and goes on an increasingly reckless crime spree because he's too prideful to ask for money from his father-in-law. Instead, he robs complete strangers at gunpoint with an astonishing lack of anxiety or hesitation; he moves like a career criminal with no fear of getting caught. His occasional indulgence in rants and his spontaneous petty interventions suggest a desire for social justice, but his actions are transparently hypocritical and the film has established that nothing he says can be believed. It's hard to see any arc of development at all in this character because Bentley doesn't emote. He never varies his facial expressions beyond a look of frustrated detachment - his eyes never change, his face doesn't move; he walks quietly through dry scenes set to meditative music posing with the same look in every shot, and he never experiences remorse. His wife (Vinessa Shaw) is a trophy, a prop to suggest his motivation, but she's so completely oblivious and implausibly stupid, she doesn't interact enough to actually humanize him. There are plenty of scenes of his children happily playing or asking questions. The implication is that Bentley never swallows his pride because he cares for his family - that alone should justify lying to them and sadistically hurting whoever he wants. This movie will be of special interest to you if you think your wife is useless and your children are such a burden, it could justify murder and suicide.

The film's poster convinces us that what we're about to see is another ordinary action film, with touches of an empathic and gripping drama destined to make us support the main character's actions. Don't be fooled by that image. "After the Fall" is a good drama with small portions of action, and the latter isn't all that compelling or exciting. Wes Bentley stars as a desperate man who takes extreme measures after losing job and being unable to take care of his family, surrounded by debts after debts. His only option: committing crimes, mugging the residents of his small town. On his trail there's a decadent detective (Jason Isaacs) who is trying to catch this new suspect who appeared in town all of sudden, but they barely knew they would cross paths early on and become buddies who are stuck in saddening times, with their personal crisis and just trying to find a way to live their lives.

More artistic than entertaining, "After the Fall" treats its themes by appropriating itself of some of Terrence Malick's techniques - though more conventional to mainstream audiences - with the use of the main character's narration remembering the lovely times he had with his family in their big house and their pool, describing the love and care he had for his wife and kids; and also appropriates of some "Breaking Bad" elements, without ever getting on the same level of greatness. Mr. Saar Klein's debut as director comes across as simple-minded, clichéd yet manageable and interesting due to the performances of Bentley and Isaacs (who steals the show, this time without playing the villain). Bentley was a decent anti-hero, you get easily involved with his obstacles, and enjoy each time he tries to help people in worst conditions than him (like the female cashier - but hey at least she has a job, awful but still), almost getting close to being a hero (helping the old man who spotted him before a robbery at a drugstore).

And if the movie loses points is because of its lack of alternatives and unusual conceptions. Why the lead character never, at no point, tries to get another job? He's stuck in that weird business, still trying to impress his former boss when he's no longer part of the company in ages. That part was really strange. And since when stealing pocket money from other people can be enough to make one rescue his taken car? He survives from stealing to stealing, and it's all very unconvincing. I won't even mention the solution given at the conclusion which the writer simply fast forward with a plausible explanation.

Here's another modern treaty about the swifty American dream; there's always crisis and always unexpected solutions but family always comes first. Even though you're about to lose them. 6/10

First off I'd like to point out that the poster is clearly trying to make this look like a action-movie which is so far from what this is.

The poster seem to try to sell it as a new 'ASSAULT ON WALLSTREET (2013)' or something, and although there are some similarities between the two (both about 2 down on their luck men that lose their job and their mental state goes on a downward spiral) the approach and resolution is completely different.

Won't go into any details but yeah if you're watching it and waiting for some kick ass action to kick off you'll most likely be a bit disappointed.

I can't go into details without starting to spoil stuff so I'll just say that the movie-direction is a bit 'dreamy' at times like a little vague, even though the actual plot is fairly simple.

It doesn't come together 100% but the good outweighs the bad, Wes Bentley is fairly good but Jason Isaacs is probably the best actor of the film and helps carry the film back up from the ground occasionally by just delivering a natural and charismatic performance.