10 Amazing Films From Directors Who Stopped Giving A Damn
6. Falling Down - Joel Schumacher
By the early 1990s, Joel Schumacher was on a roll, his CV boasting such diverse hits as Brat Pack drama St Elmo's Fire, teen-friendly horror movies The Lost Boys and Flatliners, and saccharine weepy Dying Young.
Few could have imagined that Schumacher would next direct one of the most provocative and controversial films of the time, 1993's satirical black comedy thriller Falling Down.
The film casts Michael Douglas as William 'D-FENS' Foster, a man who's both recently divorced and recently fired from his job as a defence engineer. Abandoning his car in an LA traffic jam, he sets off on foot to reach his daughter's birthday party. Along the way he has numerous violent encounters with strangers and picks up an increasing number of deadly weapons. A killing spree and police manhunt ensues.
With its shady morality and grim worldview, Falling Down didn't go down well in some quarters, but many praised the film both for Douglas's commanding central performance, and the questions raised about the state of America at the time.
Schumacher's courageous handling of such edgy material definitely increased his standing in Hollywood, leading to further high profile, dark-edged dramas like The Client and A Time To Kill.
What could the director possibly do wrong from there? Oh yeah, the Batman movies...