FALL TIME

US, 1995, 88 minutes, Colour.

David Arquette, Jason London, Stephen Baldwin, Jonah Blechman, Sheryl Lee, Mickey Rourke, Steve Alden, Tom Hull, J. Michael Hunter.

Directed by Paul Warner.

This 1990s brief film about three young men, friends from the past (illustrated vividly early in the film with black-and-white photography) who, when they grow up, decide to pull off an ambitious prank, staging a shooting and abduction, robbing the bank.

David Arquette is the leader of the group, Jonah Blechman as his backup, and Jason London is a more independent member of the group, better educated, going to college. The young men have been dominated by their fathers, businessman in the town.

But, this is a comedy and drama of errors, many errors. In the meantime, a former prisoner played by Mickey Rourke has a plan to rob the bank, using a colleague over whom he has some power, Stephen Baldwin.

The young men stop at a shop and the proprietor is suspicious, later phoning the police. The colleague who is to be falsely shot and abducted is dressed, suit, tie and hat, exactly the same as the other associate – who, mistakenly, is abducted.

There are pursuits around the town, phone calls from a man in the diner, the police, the former prisoner shooting the police, taking the unwitting decoy prisoner, the robbery, taking the wrong cashier as hostage.

They are all aiming to arrive at the three young men’s rendezvous, various mishaps along the way, flat tires, the prisoner getting lost, the police in pursuit.

But, what was intended as a fun prank turns out to be quite grim, violence, deaths, and the cashier with an alternate story as to what has happened, getting on a train with the money.

1. The title, the ironies with the ambitions? Everything going wrong?
2. The Arkansas setting, the South, racist remarks, young people, moving out, futures?
3. The prologue, black-and-white photography, the three boys, the celebrations, friendship, the birthday, the cake falling, the severe father?
4. Growing up, their plan, going to the bridge, diving into the water, getting dressed for the fake robbery, banter between them?
5. Dave, the leader, rebellion against his father, Joe, his father, quieter? Tim, different, going to college? The arguments in the car? Dave and his daring with speeding to the train, Tim and his reaction, getting back in the car?
6. The glimpse of Florence and Leon, waiting, the bond between them, planning the robbery, rehearsing the plan?
7. The trio, stopping at the gas station, Joe reading the magazine and Tim’s correcting him? The observations of the man at the counter, later ringing the police?
8. The going into town, Tim, suit and tie, dark glasses? The irony of Leon, suit and tie, dark glasses? The man in the diner, both men being there, the accident with Leon’s tie? The man at the diner and his contacting the police? Tim hurrying out? The irony of the two men, similar? Leon and his arrival, intimidating Tim, Tim running, hiding in the garbage, Florence finding him, taking him, interrogation, going through with the plan, Tim with the gun, to get Patty, the robbery, opening the vault, Florence arriving pretending to be FBI? The plan going alright, the police arriving, flourishes the policeman?
9. The abduction, David and Joe, taking Leon by mistake? Her satisfaction, going to the rendezvous, discovering Leon, the gun, his tying them up, gagging them, hanging Joe with Dave as anchor? The Leon feeling betrayed by Florence, Dave fabricating the story about being in league with Florence, Leon becoming more angry?
10. Dave’s father, angry, his wife quietly baking the high, Dave taking the car, going to the police, finding the dead policeman on the street, being taken in, wanting his car back?
11. Florence pursuing Tim and trying to find the rendezvous? Tim and his taking Carol, thinking her Patty, the drive, the talk, the tyre, his cutting himself, first aid, Carol and the sexual attack, their walking? The police and Dave’s father driving?
12. The buildup to the final confrontation, Leon on the gun, Florence shooting Joe, David and his reaction, his being shot? Tim entering, confronting Leon and Florence, their both being shot? Tim shot, Carol tending to his wounds?
13. Children’s ambitions, youthful prank, everything going wrong, grim ending?
14. Carol and the money and the visualising of her alternative story of what happened?