‘The Fallout’: A Gripping Story About Trauma and Loss

Photo courtesy of Netflix.

The Fallout debuted on HBO Max on January 27, 2022. The film’s premise centers on a group of teenagers who must deal with their trauma after a school tragedy.

I knew that this was going to be a heavy film going in to it but that didn’t hinder me from watching it at all. When I watched the trailer, I was intrigued by the story and the actors. Let me tell you this is one of the best films I’ve watched in awhile.

The story is one that is engrained in my soul as a school I lived near went through a similar tragedy. It hit close to home for me. The way that this tragedy is portrayed in the film felt genuine and authentic. Vada (Jenna Ortega) is a character I felt particularly drawn to and related to, not because I’ve gone what she has gone through, but because I know what it feels like to not feel anything. I thought back to my anxiety and panic attacks and how Vada couldn’t talk about how she felt to her parents.

The story is heartbreaking and tragically realistic. It was interesting seeing the different ways these young people were dealing with trauma and loss.

The acting in this film blew me way. I was particularly impressed with Jenna Ortega. She stole the show for me. This is definitely a breakout role for her. She nailed the emotions, facial expressions, and body language so well. It almost felt as if she wasn’t acting.

I thought Maddie Ziegler was pretty good too. The chemistry between Vada and Mia was clearly there and you could cut the tension between them with a knife.

I wish we saw more of Niles Fitch’s Quinton. I really liked him. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Nick (Will Ropp). His character didn’t do anything for me.

I loved Amelia (Lumi Pollack). This 13-year-old has a bright career ahead of her. She was charming and brought depth to her character.

This film is director Megan Park’s directorial debut. She knocked it out of the park. She nailed what it can be like for a young person to experience a school tragedy.

The cinematography was pretty. The writing was well done. The editing was great.

The film tells an important story embedded with messages that are important for Gen-Z and beyond to know and understand. This is why you should watch if you haven’t already. Films like this are a primary example of the power that a film can have.

 

 

The Fallout is exclusively streaming on HBO Max.

Director: Megan Park

Cast: Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler, Niles Fitch, Lumi Pollack, Julie Bowen

Producers: Shaun Sanghani, David Brown, Giulia Prenna