THAT FALL
by  debbie lynn elias
 

Already coined by me as a “Thrillomedy”, THAT FALL, has some characterizations and plot lines worthy of a novel by my favorite legal eagle and good pal, best selling author Lisa Scottoline.

Written by Joe McClean, the secret to this film is not just in the characters but in his stylized execution of plot twists and turns and the merging of two distinct genres, the crime thriller and romantic comedy. I know it may sound strange, but it works and the end result is a stylized intriguing story.

In a nutshell, LAPD Officer Adam Wilson returns home to find a stranger leaning over the blood drenched body of his young daughter Emily. Enraged, Wilson arrests the man on the spot. Unfortunately, circumstantial evidence alone isn’t enough for a conviction and ultimately, the suspect goes free. Lost, confused, angry and riddled with blame from every direction (including himself), Wilson turns to the bottle for his salvation. The only salvation he finds, however, comes in the form of a divorce.

But Wilson isn’t the only one suffering a loss. So is his ex-wife Janet. Determined to put the sorrow of the past behind her, she seeks solace and a new life with her brother and his wife Andrea. Not one content to let sleeping dogs lie, Andrea takes the bull by the horns and sets Janet up on a blind date. After all, in her mind, Janet wanted a new life, but that new life will never take hold if she stays holed up in their house and hanging onto the two of them as her only real friend and contacts. (I highly suspect, however, the real reason Andrea got Janet a date was just to get rid of her as a houseguest. After all, there is such a thing as overstaying your welcome!)

Enter Luke. Sexy, cute and quiet, he and Janet immediately hit it off and it’s not long before seem a natural couple and it’s not long before Janet finds herself falling in love with Luke. But wait just a minute! Luke looks a bit familiar - at least to all of us. Doesn’t he bear a striking resemblance to the man suspected of killing Emily?

Directed and edited by newcomer Sarju Patel, THAT FALL is an ideal example of sticktuitiveness and ingenuity. Initially conceiving the concept back in 2005, first time filmmakers Patel and McClean shot this film with a borrowed camera and boom microphone. Using their friends as cast and crew, they shot for five months only to discover when the film was in editing that four of the actors were in SAG. Unfortunately, because of contract issues, the entire film had to be re-shot.

With a minimal crew (maybe 1 to 4 ) and after scrounging together another $3,500.00, the film was ultimately shot on digital video using natural low lighting and a $30 dollar garage type lamp. With some spare change from the sofa cushions, a few more dollars helped pay for Patel’s post-production editing. Although there are a few sound problems and a few scenes that appear inadvertently “smudged” That Fall is a film NOT TO BE MISSED. It exemplifies the true spirit of independent filmmaking and produces an end result that will have you talking long after the film’s end.

Directed by Sarju Patel. Written by Joe McClean.