Genres

Visitors Review

ultimt3 2012-05-22 03:36:43

A slice of life film with very good acting and a solid plot

This film receiving a 3.6/10 is unfathomable to me. The acting issuperb and the plot develops very well. This film is about a family andtheir close knit friends having to live with the hard choices theymake, and the price they pay for those choices. There is real emotionto this film and the characters are developed extremely well. It haselements of film noir in its gritty and detailed depiction ofcharacters with rough edges and all but that really adds to this film'spower. Ed Harris does not disappoint in his role as the deeply flawedyet caring father, who puts everything on the line for his son over andover again (not wanting to spoil anything, that is all I will say aboutthat). An excellent film, well worth watching.

2012-05-21 07:45:31

Independent film at it's best

I had the pleasure of seeing this film when it made the film festival rounds earlier this year and my second viewing was even better. I've been a buyer for an independent rental store for over 20 years and I've seen a lot of bad low-budget films. Once Fallen is what happens when you have a talented filmmaker that puts together a stellar cast with a solid story- all done for $650,000 and shot in 19 days.Once Fallen is a crime drama with a touching theme about fathers and sons. Strong performances give this film raw emotion and Peter Weller lights up every scene he is in.I have to disagree with the previous post on this site- in no way was this film a disappointment. What is disappointing is that someone would allow customers early copies to rent before street date.With all the formula Hollywood films that come along do yourself a favor and see Once Fallen. Independent films and filmmakers should be celebrated, encouraged and appreciated.

pegasus65 2012-05-20 03:41:50

Once Fallen is one of worst movies I have ever seen.

I have seen a LOT of movies, more than I'm going to admit here. Therehave been turkeys and there have been hits. However, I really muststrain to remember a movie as bad as this one. Clichéd in multipleways, boring, it was terrible. On rare occasions, in order to getthrough a movie, I set my DVD player to 1.2x speed which is what I didin Once Fallen. Once Fallen is one of worst movies I have ever seen. Ican't believe Ed Harris would participate in this bomb.Don't waste your time with Once Fallen. If you want to see a greatprison film, the best I ever saw was The Shawshank Redemption (1994).Nothing comes close to it. Escape from Alcatraz (1979) starring ClintEastwood is also good. If you want to see Ed Harris in a better film,ANYTHING else is better.

Kevin Langille 2012-05-19 14:39:24

Great acting, with a great ending.

I think this movie is under-rated. Unfortunately, I checked the IMDbrating before I watched the movie and watched it with the expectationof being disappointed. However, as the movie progressed the acting andplot surprised me. It was well worth watching, and is a movie that Iwill remember as being great.Many of the characters are difficult to like or relate to. Theprofanity was a turn-off for me. However, it told an interesting storywithout resorting to cheap sentimentality. If people are expecting atypical Hollywood style blockbuster then they will be disappointed. Ithought it was a realistic portrayal of shady characters who aredifficult to like but did a good job of developing the charactersthroughout the movie. In the end, a few characters go from beingunlikable degenerates to heroes.

2012-05-16 14:12:10

See this film

If you're a fan of independent film do yourself a favor and see Once Fallen. I've seen countless low budget films and this is one of the best I've seen. Writer/Director/Actor, Ash Adams should be applauded for putting together such a stellar cast with a budget of only $650,000. And his performance as a dirty cop is both captivating and terrifying. Watch the Blu-ray version so you can appreciate how good this film looks.

2012-05-16 02:00:30

Once fallen: A response.

I decided to speak up and put out a few important facts about my film, Once fallen.It has been my experience over the past year, (festivals, screenings) that most of the audience seems to think I had a lot of money to make Once fallen.I did not. I made Once fallen for 650,000 and shot it in 19 days. Everyone worked for rock bottom, including me. There were the inevitable creative show downs during post production, that I feel hurt the story I set out to tell.However, I feel the film held up and that my focus on performance and the amazing work of my entire cast is what counts and should be remembered.It is also very important, I feel, to mention that this is not an Ed Harris film.Once fallen is an ensemble piece.I believe that some people are expecting to see Mr. Harris in the lead when they purchase or rent the film.I know that I would feel scammed or lied to if I had that expectation before watching Once fallen.I hope that this information is useful and I sincerely hope you enjoy Once fallen.YoursAsh

2012-05-13 18:43:23

I like indie films but...

Wow. I made the mistake of getting this movie at a redbox. I wish I had my $1.08 and two hours of my life back.I am a huge Ed Harris fan, and I guess someone either did a really good job selling him the script, or he desperately needed a little cash. And by little, I mean LITTLE, since this movie must have had a budget smaller than my kids' weekly allowance.Ed Harris was the highlight, but the rest of the acting was sub-par compared to your local community theater.I would not reccommend this movie to anyone. Horrible.

KnatLouie 2012-05-13 04:51:02

Great opportunity - just missed

This film is about a young man, Chance (Brian Presley - Borderland),who has a lot of problems with his life, that he must overcome. His father Liam, (Ed Harris) is currently in prison for beating a manto death, and has been elected head of the Aryan Nation, which giveshim certain privileges, but also some obligations that he must fulfill.Chance's best friend Beat (Chad Lindberg - The Fast and the Furious)has a lot of psychological problems, and is currently involved with anotorious drug-dealer, Rath (Ash Adams - Lionheart), who also happensto be a crooked cop, and doesn't take no for an answer. Apart from these problems, Chance has just found out that hisex-girlfriend Kat, (Alison Eastwood - Tightrope) has been raising hischild while he was in jail, but now decides to split and leave the kidwith him, all the while Rath is hassling him, Beat, and Liam.Chance gets some help from his old pal, bar-owner Eddie (Peter Weller -RoboCop), who in return expects Chance to do some street-fighting forhim. Random fights is the only job Chance can get, apart from dealingdrugs, but as he now has a young son to raise, and recently finds newlove in Pearl (Taraji P. Henson - Hustle & Flow), who just happens tobe black - something Liam's fellow Aryan brothers certainly doesn'tapprove of, and they send their number two, Sonny (Peter Greene - PulpFiction) to tell him about it in person.The thing about this film that makes it fall beneath the cracks ofgoodness, is the sheer lack of common sense. For starters, it doesn'tmake any sense, that: 1) Liam became the head of the Aryan nation, butdoesn't seem very well-liked by ANY of the other Aryans. 2) Chance'sgirlfriend just leaving her son with him - an almost complete stranger- after raising the kid for 5 years! 3) The part about Rath ending theway it did - made NO sense whatsoever. In the end, it all just feels like the story could've gone in SO manyother directions, which would've been better. And the producers had anall-star stellar cast of character-actors, which they didn't use foranything at all! I mean, the movie has Richard Tyson (Kindergarten Cop), Antonio Vargas(Starsky & Hutch), Jesse D. Goins (RoboCop), Sticky Fingaz (Onyx),Rance Howard (Ed Wood), and Steve friggin' Railsback (Lifeforce), and aLOT of other great character-actors, but they're all just completelyWASTED in this production, only half of them getting any lines, and therest just appearing in a few minutes with hardly any screen-time atall... it makes no sense, not to use any of them for anything.. why notjust cast some random unknowns instead?I felt like a good opportunity was missed here. Some of the points cameacross well, but mostly it was just wasted.

2012-05-10 03:50:44

Interesting Character Drama

Movie has a bit of a slow pace and leaves many unanswered questions. Particularly annoying is the "whisper". Not explaining that isn't edgy, it's silly. Mostly people feel robbed for being teased about details like that. Certainly, I've never noticed movie boxes advertising "Leaves you to interpret your own meaning, must see!!!". The ending was good, if a bit predictable. I don't feel like I wasted my time with the movie, but it's not for everyone. Was very well acted by all involved. Much less ham than the mouthing breathing ensemble of the Twilight Saga, for instance.BTW, several of the reviews for this movie listed between Oct 2010 & Nov 2010, are fake. The reviewers all say the same crap about how the movie was made on a shoestring budget, under a tight schedule, they all deliver 5 stars, and just happen to only have one review per username; lame.Either the movie is good or it's not. It's not suddenly better than it was just because I know it was made cheaply. Should have cut out the less needed acting parts and spent more on your script. Either way, I enjoyed it, but wouldn't recommend to many people.

2012-05-09 14:30:49

A Touching Movie

If you're a fan of independent films see Once Fallen. Writer/Director/Actor, Ash Adams should be applauded for putting together such an incredible cast - there was a lot of good chemistry. His performance as a dirty cop is disarming and memorable. It is hard to believe that this movie was made for $650,000 and in only 19 days!Once Fallen is a crime drama with a very touching theme about relationships between best friends and fathers and sons. There is also an interracial relationship (WMBW) that was very touching and added to the complexity this film. The strong performances of the stellar cast adds to the raw emotion of the film. This film deserves a lot more attention and I will be recommending it to my friends.

2012-05-09 08:26:50

Very disappointed

This is definitely a "B", low budget movie. I like Ed Harris and in general I'd say the acting was pretty good but this is a very poor movie. I was duped into watching it by these ridiculously favorable reviews. In all fairness, I believe two stars is generous. Don't waste your time with this movie.

gradyharp 2012-05-09 04:34:24

Gritty, Raw, Well-Acted Film

Ash Adams, wrote, directed, produced and acted in this very raw storyof a family challenged by a life of crime in San Pedro, California.While the film has some brittle edges, editing flaws that disturb theflow of the story, the acting is so fine that these flaws become minor.It is a small budget film populated with some of the finest actors inthe business and the result makes for a film that deserves moreattention than it received in the theater. Chance (Brian Presley, in a career changing role) has been releasedfrom five years in prison for a crime in which he took the blame for anumber of his friends and family. Upon release he discovers that hisex-girlfriend Kat (Alison Eastwood) gave birth to their son Augustwhile Chance was in jail. Kat promptly walks out on Chance and August,leaving Chance to parent a child he didn't even know he fathered.Chance's friend Beat (Chad Lindberg) is a damaged man, having witnessedwith Chance the brutal slaughter of a man by Chance's father Liam (EdHarris), a man who has been in prison since and has become the leaderof the Aryan Brotherhood. Beat has a debt that must be paid and pleadswith Chance to do one more Cocaine sale for dirty cop Rath (Ash Adams)to free himself from that debt and get on with life. Chance wants toturn his life around, tries to pay off Beat's debt by participating ina knuckle fight for the operator Eddie (Peter Weller), but when heloses the fight all bets are off. Chance visits his blind aunt Rose(Amy Madigan) and her friend Sue (Sharon Gless) and Rose insists Chancevisit his father Liam in the jail. Chance also becomes attached to afriend of Kat's named Pearl (Taraji P. Henson) and Pearl helps Chanceto find fatherhood with August and a relationship with her. From all ofthese setups come encounters that alter the story with realistic viewsof the corruption of San Pedro as well as a coming together of Chanceand his father whose turbulent family history is revealed at the end ofthe film. The cast is excellent: Ed Harris, Amy Madigan, Taraji P. Henson, PeterWeller, Ash Adams, Chad Lindberg and especially Brian Presley give highquality performances as do the supporting cast members. This littlefilm may be tough and raw, but the underlying importance of family isstrong and well worth attention from a wider audience. Grady Harp

2012-05-06 00:45:09

Loved it.....

This review is from: Once Fallen (DVD) I came across this movie trailer while searching for another one and was very interested. When I read the reviews on Amazon, I became a little wary. Boy am I glad I went with my curiosity! I never really got the feeling that the budget was low while watching this movie. And I came away thinking this could easily be someone's life under those same circumstances. I thought it was well directed but a little choppy at times. Never the less, it held my attention until the very end. Ed Harris is a genious. He is one of only a very few that can draw you in like a moth to a flame, saying so much with little actually being said. Peter Weller was fun to watch as the comedy relief in this dark drama. In fact, all of the actors in this film did a great job. I prefer this movie to anything the big budget studios are showing today.

willyg81 2012-05-05 07:19:00

Very hard hitting stuff!

This was a great movie. The main character Chance was very believableas well as captivating. Ed Harris as always gave a very deepperformance as Chance's father. Tajiri Henson (Hustle & Flow), AmyMadigan (Gone baby Gone), Ash Adams & Peter Weller (Robo Cop) all gavestrong supporting performances. Ash Adams i the director, writer andhas a good role in this movie. I watched "Once Fallen" 2 days ago andplan to watch it again. It has been on my mind since I watched it. I'mnot sure why it has some low ratings, but it did not stop me fromenjoying this very well made film. I honestly would have rated itbetween a 6 and a 7 but since a lot of people that I don't believewatched the film gave it low ratings I gave it a 10 to help it out. Foryour info, this movie is in the style of "American History X". Thanksfor reading and I hope you enjoy this movie.

fotobiz 2012-05-04 16:25:06

Director Ash Adms pulls it off...

This film with a budget of only $650,000 Writer/Director/Actor AshAdams should be applauded for putting together such a stellar cast andreally pulled it off. If you're a fan of independent film do yourself afavor and see Once Fallen. The acting is superb and the plot developsvery well. This film is about a family and their close knit friendshaving to live with the hard choices they make, and the price they payfor those choices. I've seen countless low budget films and this is oneof the best I've ever seen. His performance playing a dirty cop is bothcaptivating and terrifying. Once Fallen is a crime drama with a verytouching relationship between fathers and sons. The strong performancesof the cast adds to the raw emotion of the film. Watch the Blu-rayversion so you can appreciate how good this film looks. This filmdeserves more attention!

2012-05-04 15:44:42

Compelling and gritty drama

Honestly, if this had not popped up on our instant play list on Netflix, my husband and I would never have watched this movie, but I'm glad we did. This is one of those compelling human dramas that draws viewers in with its difficult subject matter, and credible performances by a talented ensemble cast. Though Ed Harris is in this movie, and delivers a powerful performance, Brian Presley delivers a visceral performance as Chance, an ex-con who wishes to get away from a life of crime.The story begins with a young Chance and his best friend Beat by the beach in San Pedro. Ed Harris plays Chance's father Liam, and when Liam sees Beat's bruised and battered face, he storms Beat's house in a fit of rage. His violence results in Beat's father's death and Liam is sentenced to life in prison. Fast forward years later - Chance has just been released after serving five years in prison. His only wish is to lead a clean life, yet his past stalks him unrelentingly. Beat, his childhood friend (Chad Lindberg in a memorable performance) is a tortured and damaged soul who can't seem to escape his own traumatic past. Chance feels a sense of loyalty to Beat, and this loyalty prevents him from just walking away when he is asked to make good on Beat's debts to a mobster and also a crooked cop, Rath (Ash Adams who also wrote and directed this film). Meanwhile, Chance makes a startling discovery - he is the father of a five-year-old boy August by his ex-girlfriend Kat. When Kat leaves to pursue her own interests, Chance is left at a loss. In steps Pearl (Taraji P. Henson) who helps Chance find his footing.With all this drama unfurling, there's still the parallel story of Chance's father, Liam who has since moved up the prison ranks to become the leader of the Aryan Brotherhood. A quiet and contemplative man, Liam's sole wish is to see his son safe, and he risks everything to ensure Chance gets a second go at leading a normal life. The stories are actually quite well-woven together, but viewers who are looking for a fast-paced, shoot-em'-up action flick will be sorely disappointed. Instead, viewers get treated to a leisurely-paced yet intense human drama that explores the various facets of human relationships - of what drives them, and how one man tries to steer the right path even though the odds are stacked against him. In this, the movie succeeds very well, and instead of being a purely Ed Harris vehicle, the movie shows off a talented ensemble cast (that also includes Peter Weller as a mobster). Final verdict -a thought-provoking drama with credible character development.

phaenomenalbert 2012-04-30 14:45:58

entertaining enough but nothing to write home about

I am giving a rather low rating for a movie that is, shot for a lowbudget of $650000 in only a few weeks, surprisingly well made. I'll trymy best to explain why, without spoiling any aspect of the story: the movie starts out strong as the main character Chance, a drug dealerreleased from prison after five years is trying hard to change his livefor the better. what's not to like about this beginning? Chance islikable (and cute) enough, no surprise here: we want him to succeed butwe almost instantly sense that chances for Chance are slim!the more the story evolves and presents its challenges to our "hero tobe", the more all the characters are evolving into rather overdonecaricatures, loaded with stereotypes ...Writer/Producer/Director/Actor Adams meant well but in the end onlymanages to deliver a well executed movie with an o.k. story but totallylacking convincing characters. This, however is only my personalopinion and should not keep anyone from watching the movie.

2012-04-30 01:01:23

A Really Terrible Movie

This review is from: Once Fallen (DVD) I'm a big ed Harris fan and this is one of his worst movies ever. In fact, it is one of the worst movies I have ever seen.

2012-04-29 12:35:33

Once Fallen

This review is from: Once Fallen [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray) I wish that I had rented this film. It was not at all what I expected and so I was quite disappointed.

Perry Bee 2012-04-29 06:31:26

Budget of $650,000

It is refreshing to see a low budget film like this out doing lot's andlot's of big name actor films of late. The story is solid, goes alongat a good pace, acting is good (due to a well picked cast). A solid 8out of 10 and a hell of a lot better film than some of the over rated Bgrade crap that I have seen coming from the over paid Hollywoodproduction line for some time. Watch it as it is worth a view.It is refreshing to see a low budget film like this out doing lot's andlot's of big name actor films of late. The story is solid, goes alongat a good pace, acting is good (due to a well picked cast). A solid 8out of 10 and a hell of a lot better film than some of the over rated Bgrade crap that I have seen coming from the over paid Hollywoodproduction line for some time. Watch it as it is worth a view.