Falling Down is an exemplary work on how to deal with this shitty world.
Michael is somebody we all want to be, being able to say all the things that we want to say, do all the things that we all want to do; although it is exhilarating, it doesn't lead anywhere. In fact, this kind of inner anger will eventually destroy us.
The old cop, however, is kind of a saint. He is able to navigate this shitty world with ease because he is full of humor, forgiveness and love toward others.
THIS IS ALSO A GREAT SCRIPT ABOUT TWO STORY LINES: ONE WITH MICHAEL AND ONE WITH THE OLD COP. BOTH OF THEM HAS TO HIT THE STORY KEY POINTS AT THE SAME TIME.
Page 0Michael is stuck in a traffic jam, chaos around. Kids yelling and adults cursing. Nobody is nice to others. Even the bump stickers are nasty. It's very hot, and a bee is trying to sting Michael. The air conditioning in the car is down and the door knob is broken. The world is a terrible place to livein.
Page 5Michael finally has had enough, and he abandons the car and goes away. On the contrary, another guy is pretty happy in the car, trying to find humor in this terrible world. (THE CONTRAST OF ATTITUDE BETWEEN MICHAEL AND THE OLD COP IS WHAT THIS MOVIE IS ALL ABOUT) A traffic police comes to resolve the issue, after the guy's insistence by declaring himself as a cop, they push the car away.
Page 7Introduction of Michael's wife and daughter. Michael is trying to call them but he couldn't say a word. He is out of coins now.
Page 9He goes to a Korean store, trying to get some change. But the Coke is so expensive that he couldn't get enough change. After conflicts, he gets the baseball bat away from the owner and beats the crap out of his store. (THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE PROTAGONIST: PICKING UP A BASEBALL BAT AND ENTER THE NEW SITUATION OF VIOLENCE)
Page 13People make fun of him for the old cop's last day. But there is still a nice female cop still on his side, trying to comfort him. (THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE OLD COP LEADING HIM TO THE NEW SITUATION OF THE LAST DAY OF BEING A COP)
Page 15Michael walks into a shitty neighborhoodwhile his wife plays with his daughter.
Page 16Crazy wife calls the old cop, wanting him to come home. The old cop is so patient that he tries to calm his wife down. After that, he puts the phone down besides a photo of a little girl: Who is that? Where is she?
Page 18Michael watches the city view through his broken shoes. He is harassed by two hooligans asking for his briefcase. Only to be attacked by Michael with his baseball bat.
Page 22While the old cop signs to give in his gun, the Korean guy owner comes to complain about his robbery experience, telling him that his baseball bat has been taken away.
Page 24The group of hooligans is driving to look for Michael, wanting to kill him.
Page 25Michael calls his wife at home again but he still couldn't say a word. The wife is rude to him, not letting him to see his own daughter. Because he doesn't even pay for the child support.
Page 26Michael is spotted by the hooligans while the wife tells him that it's not his home anymore. The hooligans open fire, shot a lot of innocent people, but miss Michael. Because of the nervousness, they end up crashing with another car, all of them severely injured. Michael goes to them and takes all the guns away from them. (CHANGE OF PLAN: THE STORY SUDDENLY CHANGES FROM SMALL VIOLENCE TO LIFE AND DEATH)
Page 30The old cop is summoned by the Captain, who is disrespectable, calling him a coward. During which time, it is revealed that the old cop has lost a young daughter. (CHANGE OF PLAN FOR THE COP: THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS SHOOTOUT, BUT THE OLD COP HAS DETERMINED NOT TO STAY.)
Page 33Michael is on the street again, with his gym bag full of weapons. He couldn't get on the bus because of the crowd. And he couldn't go through the street because of the construction.
Page 34The cop comes to the wife's house, revealing the back story of how they got separated. During which time, the audience gets the impression that the situation has been blown out of the proportion by the wife.
Page 37Michael goes to the park, where he is harassed by a con man wanting his money, unsuccessfully. But Michael gives his briefcase away to theguy.
Page 40The hooligan's girlfriend is being interrogated by the police about the shooting. After she mentions the baseball bat, the old cop has an instinct but is ignored by the colleagues. But he asks an important question: What does a man with a white shirt and a tie doing in the gang land?
Page 41The classic fast food scene: Michael takes out his automatic weapon after he has been denied breakfast.
Page 46The female cop goes to eat lunch with the old cop. The female cop doesn't understand why he has abandoned his career and moves to Arizona with his wife. And the meal is interrupted by the information of the fast food crime.
Page 49 Michael walks in the street, a guy is arrested because of his protest of not being able to get a loan while he buys present for his daughter.
Page 51The cop is going away and Michael couldn't reach his wife. And he shoots the telephone booth after being provoked.
Page 52The cop talks with his wife and the female cop at the same time on the phone. The wife is high maintenance as usual and the female cop is discussing the case details with him.
Page 55Michael's feet is killing him so he goes to buy a pair of boots. The owner of the utility store is very unhappy about the presence of the gay customers and has a conflict with him. (THE BEGINNING OF THE PROTAGONIST'S POINT OF NO RETURN)
Page 57The old cop presses the girlfriend to tell him how many weapons they have in the gym bag. (THE BEGINNING OF THE POINT OF NO RETURN FOR THE OLD COP BECAUSE HE STARTS TO UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION) And later, the female cop comes to the utility store to look for Michael, but the owner helps him to get rid of the cop.
Page 60The owner of the utility store turns out to be a crazy fascist, who shows Michael his great collection of used weapons and souvenirs. After they ensures a disagreement, conflict and the owner breaks his gift for his daughter and tries to imprison him.
Page 65But in the end, the fascist is stabbed by the knife Michael collected. Michael shoots him with his own gun. (THE PROTAGONIST'S POINT OF NO RETURN, FIRST TIME EVER COMMIT MURDER)
Page 66The old cop is trying to warn the Captain about his findings but the Captain tells him that he doesn't like him because he doesn't curse. (THE POINT OF RETURN OF THE OLD COP, STICKING HIS NECK OUT FOR THE CASE)
Page 68The old cop is very low and doesn't know what to do although he knows exactly what's going on.
Page 69Michael phones his wife, telling him very creepily how he has passed the point of no return.
Page 71Just when the old cop tries to talk to the Korean owner, he sees the ad board and realizes that the man he has been looking for is the owner of the vehicle. (RISE OF THE ANTAGONIST: THE OLD COP BEGINS TO HAVE A CLUE WHO HE IS.)
Page 73The daughter is playing with a blue water gun while watching cartoons.
Page 74 Michael returns to the traffic jam site because of the construction. He punches the guy who is yelling at an old woman who cuts him off, and tries to force the construction worker to tell him the truth about the construction. (THE PROTAGONIST BEGINS TO TAKE INITIATIVE AND THE STAKE OF THE STORY JUST GOES UP)
Page 75 When Michael is trying to figure out how to use the rocket launcher, a kid comes and teaches him how to use it because he has seen it on TV.
Page 77 The old cop and the partner come to visit Michael's mom according to the license plate. When the old woman is getting defensive, the old cop tries to break the ice by discussing with her about her collection of porcelainanimals.
Page 78 Michael trespasses a golf course and is spotted by two rich old men. One of the old men gets so angry that he tries to shoot Michael with his golf ball. So Michael takes out his gun and shoots his golf cart, which spurs his heart attack.
Page 81The old cop comes into Michael's bedroom and finds out where he works. His mom confesses to the old cop about what is wrong with Michael. Now we know that he has been fired by the defense company a month ago, which surprises his mom.
Page 84Michael trespasses a plastic surgeon's home and takes a family for hostage. He talks with the family about how he lost his job, how he wants to find a new job, how he wants to take care of his family and how much he wants to have a normal happy family life. (EVERYTHING IS EMOTIONALLY LOST FOR THE PROTAGONIST BECAUSE THE FAMILY HE TAKES FOR HOSTAGE REMINDS HIM THAT HE HAS NOTHING.)
Page 88Another cop leaves his wife, not wanting to stay any longer.
Page 89The old cop continues to discuss the case while Michael calls his wife from a pay phone very close to the house. So his wife and daughter run away before he has a chance to meet them.(EVERYTHING PHYSICALLY IS LOST FOR THE PROTAGONIST BECAUSE HE HAS NO IDEA WHERE HIS FAMILY IS, WHICH HAS BEEN HIS GOAL THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE MOVIE)
Page 91 The old cop predicts where Michael is going according to the track he has been to. Michael watches old video of his happy times. (FINALLY THE COP FIGURES OUT WHERE THE PROTAGONIST IS AND EVERYTHING PHYSICALLY LOST FOR THE PROTAGONIST FROM THE OLD COP'S POINT OF VIEW)
Page 93The old cop has to go to the wife's house because the local police won't go after so many 911 calls from the wife. But before they can go, the old cop receives an angry call from his wife and he was able to subdue her. Also the old cop is being teased by his fellow cops when a show girl comes. The old cop finally has the courage to strike the nasty cop on the face. (THE OLD COP BEGINS TO RACE TOWARD THE END OF HIS CHARACTER ARC ON THE BOTH FRONT OF HIS WIFE AND HIS COLLEAGUES.)
Page 95Michael continues to watch the old happy video, but he sees his early problems in the marriage, where he insists his daughter to be on the horse and it spurs a conflict with her wife. And it also gives him an idea where they might go –the pier. (FINAL PUSH FOR THE PROTAGONIST)
Page 96The old cop and partner come to the house, where the partner is shot by Michael. But the old cop is now gun less. He takes the gun and goes after Michael.
Page 100Michael finally meets his family. But soon interrupted by the old cop, who talks about his idea of paradise and his difficult situation to keep Michael's guard down.
Page 103Show down between Michael and the cop. Michael couldn't believe that he has become the bad guy. He doesn't want to live anymore. So he draws his water pistol, forcing the old cop to shoot him.
Page 106This has become a major news and the Captain is taking all the credit. In front of the camera, the old cop finally has the courage to swear to the Captain, which stunned everybody.
Page 109Police is all over the place. The old cop bonds with Michael's little girl, their happy memories still plays on the TV screen. It makes you thinking.
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