USAToday
Claudia Puig
The Fall is aptly named not only because it pertains to a tragic descent but because viewers will feel as if they have plunged headlong into an alternate universe with this dazzling adult fairy tale.
Blending a fanciful tale and a stark reality involving an imaginative girl will stir comparisons to Pan's Labyrinth. But it's not nearly as linear a story, or as graphically violent. The surrealistic visuals in this ambitious film are unlike anything you're likely to see or have seen.
Filmmaker Tarsem Singh (The Cell), best known for directing music videos such as R.E.M.'s Losing My Religion and a host of TV commercials, shot the movie in 18 countries, including South Africa and India, over a four-year span to achieve the film's singularly spectacular look. And it is the masterful cinematography and otherworldly locations that leave a lasting impression, rather than the sometimes-fragmented narrative.
Almost as indelible as the sumptuous and painterly look of the film is the powerfully natural performance of its young co-star, 7-year old Romanian actress Catinca Untaru. Her charismatic portrayal of little Alexandria and her rapport with star Lee Pace (of TV's Pushing Daisies) makes the story even more fascinating.
The film interweaves a fantastical adventure with a sad tale set in 1915 Los Angeles. Pace plays Roy, an actor who is rendered a paraplegic from a fall. When Alexandria totters up to him, with her wide dark eyes and arm held aloft in a cast, he launches into a far-fetched yarn. Alexandria is fascinated. But his story of bandits, evil rulers, maidens in distress and dreamy palaces has an ulterior motive. While he tells the saga, he incorporates characters from their daily lives and grim surroundings. Alexandria is transfixed, but she also provides a hefty dose of realism. Many of her lines clearly are ad-libbed, and she has a natural presence on screen. Though the flights of fancy Roy weaves about exotic characters blended with real-life figures are enthralling, one longs to be back in the hospital dormitory to see Alexandria's reactions. Pace is excellent, and the interplay between the two is a highlight.
Singh reportedly searched several countries to find the right child to play the listener of the story. He wanted someone with no experience and found Catinca, then 5.
The particulars of the story may not always track, and the fairy tale morphs and meanders as it incorporates new characters. Still, The Fall is an enthralling visual experience, heightened by a superbly engaging and genuine performance.
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