Photo Credit: indiewire.com
It’s no secret, especially nowadays, that mental health, especially amongst young people, is a very relevant and serious issue in our society. As depression and anxiety continues to take its toll on the youngsters of today, we have started to see this phenomenon portrayed in the world of movies and television.
The latest attempt to address this comes in the form of the recent HBO Max original movie, The Fallout. The movie, following a young high school girl named Vada (played by Jenna Ortega) as she struggles with PTSD, anxiety and depression following a traumatic event at school, definitely won’t be for everyone. It is incredibly emotional, harrowing, and doesn’t hold back, resulting in an ending that will hit viewers hard.
However, for people looking for an accurate depiction of the fallout (pun intended) of tragedy, and the mental health issues that can result from witnessing something very traumatic, The Fallout is your go-to movie. Again, the film definitely does not hold back on the emotions displayed throughout the film, but, in a way, that makes the movie even more realistic. These emotions that people feel in real-life are very hard to go through, and, by going the extra mile and not holding back, this film shows that depression and anxiety are indeed very unrelenting, and can change someone’s whole outlook on themselves and the world around them, and even alter the relationships with the people around them. This last part is one of the more difficult parts to absorb while watching a movie like this, as, throughout the film, Vada’s experience of this undoubtedly horrific moment causes her to distance herself from some of her friends, as well as her own family, which, in turn, causes them to feel alienated. The highlight (if you even want to call it that) of all of this is a very powerful scene where Vada and her little sister, as they lie in bed together one night, discuss how much the former’s isolation is making the latter feel like her big sister doesn’t love her anymore. It is extremely relatable, and very heartbreaking, as well.
The acting is top-notch, as Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler, Julie Bowen, John Ortiz, Niles Fitch, and Lumi Pollack (who plays Vada’s little sister) all give amazing performances, and the chemistry between Ortega and Ziegler’s characters is very sweet and emotional. First-time director Megan Park makes a solid impression, as she perfectly captures the essence of such mental health issues as PTSD and anxiety perfectly. I am very interested to see what Park does in the future.
So, while you should evaluate how much emotions you can take before watching a film like this, The Fallout is definitely a film that should speak to those who have experienced mental health issues, whether it’s an easy watch for that particular group or not.
