| The Fallout | |
|---|---|
 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 New Line Cinema |
Release dates |
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Running time | 92 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Fallout is a 2021 Americandrama film written and directed byMegan Park in herfeature film directorial debut. It starsJenna Ortega as Vada Cavell, a high school student who navigates significant emotional trauma following aschool shooting. It also starsMaddie Ziegler,Julie Bowen,John Ortiz,Niles Fitch,Will Ropp, andShailene Woodley in supporting roles. The score is composed by American musician and actorFinneas O'Connell.
The Fallout premiered atSouth by Southwest on March 17, 2021, and was released on January 27, 2022, onHBO Max byNew Line Cinema (viaWarner Bros. Pictures).
High school student Vada goes to the restroom in the middle of class after her little sister Amelia calls her when she has her firstperiod. While she is in the bathroom, aschool shooting occurs. Vada hides in a stall with her schoolmates Mia and Quinton, whose brother is killed in the shooting.
Following the incident, it's revealed that at least 16 students were killed, and Vada has become depressed and isolated from her family, as well as her best friend Nick, but spends more and more time bonding with Mia. She cannot bring herself to enter the bathroom where she hid and wets her pants when she hears the sound of a soda can being crushed. In order to cope with her trauma, she takesecstasy, and Nick has to help her through the resulting high. After another night of drinking, Mia tells Vada that she is falling in love with her, and they have sex.
Vada and Nick argue about her poor coping mechanisms, resulting in her venting to Quinton and then trying to kiss him, who gently rejects her as he is not emotionally ready for a relationship. 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 reconnect. Vada reconciles with her parents and Mia. By her next session with her therapist, Anna, Vada has made genuine progress in coming to terms with what happened, though she admits that she and Nick might not reconcile.
As Vada waits for Mia outside the latter's dance class, she receives a notification on her phone about a shooting at another school, and has apanic attack.
In February 2020, it was announcedJenna Ortega had joined the cast of the film, withMegan Park directing from a screenplay she wrote.[2] In April 2020,Maddie Ziegler joined the cast of the film.[3] In May 2020, Will Ropp joined the cast of the film.[4] In August 2020,Niles Fitch,Shailene Woodley,Julie Bowen andJohn Ortiz joined the cast of the film.[5][6]
Filming was slated to begin in March 2020 but was postponed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.Principal photography began inLos Angeles[6] in August 2020[7] and wrapped on September 11, 2020.[8] In February 2021, it was announced thatFinneas O'Connell would be scoring the film, marking his first film composing debut.[9]WaterTower Music has released the soundtrack.[10]
In December 2020,Universal Pictures acquired international distribution rights to the film.[11] The film had its world premiere atSouth by Southwest on March 17, 2021.[12] In July 2021,HBO Max acquired distribution rights to the film, withNew Line Cinema distributing in territories where HBO Max is not available via parent companyWarner Bros. Pictures.[13] It was released on HBO Max on January 27, 2022.
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On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 91% of 70 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The website's consensus reads: "Empathetic and well-acted,The Fallout uses the aftermath of trauma to grapple with the experience of grief."[14]Metacritic, which uses aweighted average, assigned the film a score of 84 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[15] Kate Erbland ofIndieWire gave a rating of B+ and said the film tackles "real emotional stakes in the gloss of social media, unearthing something powerful in the process".[16] Amanda Sink ofThe 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".[17]
Park's direction and Ortega's acting were both praised,[18] and several critics cite it as Ortega's "breakout" film role.[19][20] Sheri Linden ofThe 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".[21] Peter Debruge ofVariety called the film a "stellar debut" from Park and noted that "Ortega in particular seems to have found her voice."[20]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".[22]
On the week of its release,The Fallout was the number one most-watched streaming original film in the United States, as reported byTV Time.[23]
| Award | Date of Ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South by Southwest Film Festival | March 19, 2021 | Narrative Feature Competition Grand Jury Award | The Fallout | Won | [24] |
| Brightcove Illumination Award | Megan Park | Won | |||
| March 23, 2021 | Narrative Feature Competition Audience Award | The Fallout | Won | [25] | |
| Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Awards | July 1, 2022 | Best Actress | Jenna Ortega | Nominated | [26] |
| Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | August 14, 2022 | Best Streaming Movie | The Fallout | Nominated | [27] |
| Austin Film Critics Association | January 10, 2023 | Breakthrough Artist Award | Jenna Ortega(also nominee forX,Scream andStudio 666) | Won | [28] |
| GLAAD Media Awards | March 30, 2023 | Outstanding Film - Streaming Or TV | The Fallout | Nominated | [29] |
