Agree with you guys that Falling Down was a truly great movie. One of my all time favourites. I thought the ending was perfect. In a moment of realisation he took his own life rather than submit to any more 'oppression'. (I don't know if the term 'suicide by cop' had been invented when the film was released.) I was left with a feeling of sorrowful admiration for the guy. User: Malakas

I remember seeing Falling Down in the cinema back in 92 and thought it was a great movie. However, a friend of mine said the movie portrayed "D Fens" (the character played by Douglas) as a "baddy" - lost control, putting people's lives in danger, and the police protecting his ex-wife and daughter. The film would have had a lot more power if they had a sympathetic view to Douglas' character - simply because many people (men and women) could relate to the modern frustrations he faced. Instead the message seemed to be : there-there, be a nice worker drone, estranged husband, keep on the rails and suck it all up less you get shot by the cops. User: IMHO

Ok, I found "Falling Down" at WalMart for three bucks, and here is the scene I was referring to: Ex wife: The thing is, he has this horrendous temper, and I just didn't know if a restraining order was a good idea, maybe it would do more harm than good, but the judge said we should, you know, make an example of him So he can't come within a hundred yards of us. Policeman: Does he drink? Ex wife: no, I wouldn't say so Policeman: Do drugs? Ex wife: no Policeman: But he has a propensity for violence? Ex wife: Yeah, I think you could say that. Policeman: did he strike the little girl? Ex wife: well, no... Policeman: did he strike you? Ex wife: not exactly Policeman: not exactly? Ex wife: you know, there were times I thought he was going to, I just didn't wanna wait until he got around to it kinda thing...Its hard to explain. He could, I think. Policeman: you think? User: sorryisntgoodenough

His character, William Foster (is that the name?) did everything he's supposed to, worked for his nation's defense establisment, paid his bills, married his wife, stayed away from drugs and alcohol, and kept his body physically fit. Yet, he still finds himself without a country or a family in the film, exactly the way it happens in real life. I really related to this when I got out of the Army. It would have been perfect it there had been a confrontation with some kind of feminazi figure in the film. The golf course/heart medication scene is the best. Also note, in Disclosure, in the "cocktail party" scene, Douglas tells his wife and another lady who are positing that women have a hard time in America, "you mean when almost 90% of suicides are men?" he says in disbelief. In a lot of his films, he does seem to play a character who is forced to "stand his ground" if you will. In Traffic, his wife (Amy Irving) knows about his daughter's addiction to hard drugs, and does not tell him for six months, for fear of him exercising his male parental power over his FEMALE daughter. I thought that was pretty plain as day in that film. Buttressed by the scene when his daughter says "fuck you, I hate you, you're like the Gestapo". His daughter had to get the idea from somewhere that its okay to talk that way to her white, male, parent. User: sorryisntgoodenough

I remember seeing Falling Down in 9th grade. I identified with his character and my friends agreed, he would be me as an adult. I just watched it again recently, and realized his wife lied to get him out of the way. shocking stuff. User: sorryisntgoodenough

Then there's: War of the Roses, showing domestic violence in it's male/female dynamics and not the gender feminist Patriarchal power & control b.s. and Basis Instinct shows a violent lesbian. How Politically Incorrect is that?have to make a distinction between male-positive movies, and movies that are stories where the hero happens to be male. I also have to make a distinction between actual life phenomina and moving picture entertainment. User: Men's Rights Activist

Michael Douglas - Men's Rights Activist?

Has anyone ever noticed that in a lot of Michael Douglas films, he plays an MRA-type vigilante against the system? I'll chronicle it for you: Traffic: plays high-level cabinet member fighting the war on drugs, while combating his wife's secrecy to protect her drug addicted daughter. Disclosure: fights bogus sexual assualt charges at work Falling Down: government employee alienated from family. If you watch real closely, you'll see his ex wife (Barbara Hershey) lied to get a divorce and custody. Basic Instinct: as a police detective involved with a murderous woman Fatal Attraction: stalked by a one night stand maybe its just me... User: sorryisntgoodenough

I'm glad you brought it up IMHO. Falling Down was a widely misunderstood film, and I see it as an MRA anthem, and I believe the creators intented it that way. I remember its initial release, people just thought he was a wierdo. When I watched it recently, my jaw dropped to the floor as I realized his wife lied about his "propensity for violence" in order to get a restraining order. The movie is really about white men losing power in America. User: sorryisntgoodenough