The Fallout (2022) Review!!

Synopsis – High schooler Vada navigates the emotional fallout she experiences in the wake of a school tragedy. Relationships with her family, friends and view of the world are forever altered.

My Take – It is an unfortunate truth that due to the lack of substantial gun control policies, school shootings have become a more than a common occurrence in the United States of America. Apparently, in 2021 alone, there were 34 school shootings, a crazy number which has no right to be this high.

Undertakings which have divided survivors to band up and force change, as the rest continue their struggle with the aftermath of what they lived through, that too in a place of where they should feel safe.

While these acts of teenage domestic terrorism has been the subject of many works, namely Elephant (2003), The Life Before Her Eyes (2007), and We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011), among others, this feature directorial debut of actress Megan Park, which premiered at last year’s SXSW Film Festival to critical acclaim, and now streaming on HBO Max, approaches the subject in a different manner. Offering a restrained approach, that instead of relying upon the trauma aspect or the surrounding circumstances, works more like a contemporary character study that sensitively portrays the breakdown that can follow in the aftermath.

Here, writer-director Megan Park seeks to contextualize the trauma and violence faced by the survivors, resulting in something beautiful, raw, and emotional out of a horrific tragedy. This one is memorably stark and authentic work that is at times so gut-wrenching it’s almost unbearable sit through its 91 minutes run time. It’s a tough watch at times but an important one also.

The story follows Vada (Jenna Ortega), a 16-year-old tomboyish high school student, who seems to be having a typical day as she rides to school with Nick (Will Ropp), her best friend, and scans her social media feeds.

However, her feeling of normalcy is short-lived when she heads to the bathroom during class to call back Amelia (Lumi Pollack), her pre-teen sister, and finds herself hiding with Mia (Maddie Ziegler), a fellow classmate and popular dance influencer, in a stall, as shots ring out in the hallway. They are also soon joined by one of their peers, Quinton (Niles Fitch), covered in his brother’s blood.

Although Vada, Mia, and Quinton survive the shooting, the five minutes spent in the bathroom forever links them by terror. While Nick becomes motivated by the experience to fight for stricter gun control laws, Vada turns inward, and doesn’t want to talk about things, especially with her well-intentioned parents (John Ortiz and Julie Bowen), who do their best to give her space.

Unable to feel safe going back to school, Vada begins hanging out with Mia, whose parents are abroad and leave her to live by herself, sharing a sense of loss so overpowering they’ve become numbed to the rest of the world.

It’s painful to see anyone have to deal with such a horrific event, but it’s so much worse when it’s kids who simply aren’t mature enough or experienced enough to handle such a burden. While the film avoids showing any guns or dead bodies, the anxiety of potential doom is palpable. However, what turns the film into a winner is its refusal to reside on the act of violence itself, including its refusal to acknowledge the shooter’s name.

It takes a confident film making touch to pull this off in a way that’s based in what’s tangible and real, foregoing sensationalism to instead focus on these young girls who were left traumatized. The film doesn’t shy away from the difficulties they face in returning to school – or returning to anything resembling normalcy after attending memorial services for numerous classmates.

This isn’t a story about miraculous healing and coming together to grieve nor is it about a descent into drugs and sex and pain. While Vada has a glass of wine here and there and tries ecstasy, her journey is one of slow healing. Despite having the support of her family and a therapist (Shailene Woodley) the events have left Vada numb and avoidant.

There are moments where we see her struggle, but those are countered with moments of happiness and relief, even if it’s just for a second. Much of the praise is due to Megan Park‘s direction, as she tackles a difficult topic with empathy, nuance, and skill, allows us to experience Vada’s slow recovery, and then throws in a gut-punch of an ending that is likely to stun many.

Performance wise, Jenna Ortega is extremely likeable and brings a particular nuance to Vada’s character, one that doesn’t explicitly state her emotions and thoughts. As she insists that she’s fine, that everything will be okay, the audience cannot help but root for her. Without a strong lead a film like this could be a very unpleasant watch. She ensured that was not the case. Maddie Ziegler also layers Mia with complications without sacrificing the naturalism that’s central to drawing the audience into the story.

In supporting roles, Niles Fitch and Will Ropp are memorable, John Ortiz and Julie Bowen too are excellent and dependable as always. Shailene Woodley delivers subtle and strong work in a minor but important role. On the whole, ‘The Fallout’ is a quiet and well-acted coming of age drama that surveys difficult emotional terrain without stepping wrong.