Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tour-de-force performance by Michael Kitchen, 9 Oct 2007
"Falling." What a wonderful title! After seeing this film, "falling" brings to mind stepping up to the brink, closing your eyes, and taking a plunge--without ever looking.
For fans of Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle, (played by Michael Kitchen in "Foyle's War"), this movie is a superb opportunity to see a lot more of the actor (without so many other characters murdering each other and taking precious screen time away from Kitchen, as they do in "Foyle's War"). In "Falling", Kitchen plays Henry Kent in a role that allows him to portray a much wider range of emotions than the character Christopher Foyle calls for--and to use a much broader vocabulary: I have a difficult time imaging the reticent Foyle voluntarily using the word "ravish". Henry Kent, on the other hand, proffers the word easily, guilefully.
As the film begins, Henry, seated on a train, gives us an unusual soliloquy on love and loss. The oddity of this scene is alleviated somewhat as we then watch the glib, wonderfully friendly Henry meet his prospective love, Daisy (played by Penelope Wilton with just the right touch of bewilderment). Henry charms his way into her house and soon manages to light a fire for her, as it were. But, don't expect a simple romantic story here. Time spent with Henry could never be simple or straightforward. This tale moves forward to include a full range of emotions, including some heart-pounding suspense.
Michael Kitchen gives a versatile and clever performance in which Henry Kent exudes a singular jaded charm--which seems conjured quite naturally by the actor. Kitchen's mature, handsome face and his boyish smile are a wonderful foil to the character's personality and intentions. This film is a little diamond, a gem which keeps turning, and in each turn, you see all the varying faces that Kitchen can reveal. Henry is tender, creepy, mercurial, tempting: he is a tribute to the wizardry of Michael Kitchen. Truly a tour-de-force performance.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Ugh!, 30 Jun 2008
I utterly LOATHED this piece, despite adoring Michael Kitchen and recognising the subatantial talents of Penelope Wilton. It was a close examination of a fairly exploitative relationship, specifically that of a nasty, ultimately violent user with an unbelievably naive and rather spineless woman.
It didn't hang together: Daisy (daft name for a middle-aged woman) was highly intelligent, poised, confident and competent when with her friends in London, but the moment she set foot in Yorkshire, she turned into a completely limp and fragile flower, stupidly opening her home, her bedroom door and ultimately her heart for a bloke she barely knows and who was transparently ingratiating himself in a most suspicious and oleagenous manner. Has she completely lost her ability to ask even one intelligent question? Never mind 'Tell me about your relationship with Daphne, Henry?' What about 'How do you earn a living, Henry, when you're wasting all your time here making toast for me?' 'Where are your friends, Henry? Your family?' 'Why are you there every time I turn round, Henry - are you stalking me???'
Kitchen's performance was stilted, relying far too heavily on the facial tics for which he is famous. At times, he looked embarrassed at being cast as so utterly black-hearted a villain, with not a single discernable redeeming characteristic. Ms Wilton just looked unconprehending, as though she couldn't quite believe that she'd been paid good money to speak the vacuous lines she was called upon to utter.
There was nothing at all to redeem this sad and very ugly drama. There was nothing there to make me care about either character. My recommendation? Save your money and go watch the Coronation Street Omnibus inatead - it's far better-written dialogue.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Truly wonderful, 9 Jun 2008
Could not get enough of it, watched it over and over again, superb choice of actors
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