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Fall Time

Fall Time is a 1995 crime drama film directed by Paul Warner and co-written by Steve Alden and Paul Skemp. Starring , , , and , the film follows three young men in 1950s rural whose prank involving a mock and goes awry when they cross paths with real criminals, leading to a violent confrontation. It premiered at the in January 1995, where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize but received mixed to negative reviews for its plot and execution.

Story and characters

Plot summary

Set in rural during the , Fall Time follows three high school graduates—, , and Tim—as they devise an elaborate prank involving a mock shooting outside a . Dressed in gangster attire and borrowing a 1955 black , the friends plan for and to "shoot" Tim with blanks outside the bank, stuff him into the car's , and drive to an abandoned farm for the reveal. Unbeknownst to them, the bank is the target of a real by two criminals: the volatile and his partner , a cunning ex-convict. As the prank unfolds, and mistake —who bears a striking resemblance to Tim—for their friend and "abduct" him instead, firing blanks and locking him in the before heading to the farm hideout. Enraged and convinced Florence has double-crossed him, Leon overpowers and upon arrival, taking them and subjecting them to brutal and in an attempt to uncover the supposed betrayal. Meanwhile, captures Tim in town, psychologically manipulates him during a tense standoff, and coerces him into executing the actual by providing only one and forcing him to take , the bank loan officer who is in on the , as a . Florence then impersonates an FBI agent to bluff their way past bank security and a pursuing , Donny, whom she shoots dead during the getaway, securing the stolen cash and directing Tim and Patty to rendezvous at the farm. The collision of the and the erupts into chaos upon convergence: Florence executes Joe with a shot to the back for perceived disloyalty and stabs Leon fatally in the stomach during a confrontation over the loot. David attempts to intervene but is gunned down by Florence. In the ensuing at the abandoned farm, the youthful spirals into and bloodshed, with Tim—now fully entangled in the crime—mortally wounding Florence with a to the stomach. Wounded in the leg by Florence's final act, Tim survives alongside Patty, their prank transformed into a deadly ordeal that claims the lives of their friends and .

Principal cast

The principal cast of Fall Time features a mix of established and emerging actors portraying characters in a 1950s setting, with selections emphasizing performers capable of capturing the era's aesthetic through their physicality and prior genre experience. Mickey Rourke stars as Florence, the menacing leader of the criminal gang executing the real bank robbery; he portrays a tough, volatile transvestite gangster whose unpredictable nature drives the film's tension. Stephen Baldwin plays Leon, Florence's trigger-happy accomplice and a hot-headed criminal whose impulsive actions heighten the chaos during the botched heist. Sheryl Lee portrays Patty/Carol, the bank loan officer taken as a hostage during the robbery and an inside accomplice to the heist. David Arquette appears as David, the level-headed leader among the three prankster friends, guiding their ill-fated decisions with a sense of misguided confidence. is cast as Joe, the hot-tempered member of the prankster trio whose rash behavior escalates their fake robbery into real danger. Jason London takes on the role of Tim, the naive and reluctant third prankster, whose hesitation underscores the group's youthful inexperience. Other key supporting roles include Steve Alden as Officer Lyle, a local figure involved in the unfolding events, and Richard K. Olsen as Deputy Crawford, contributing to the rural backdrop.

Production

Development

The screenplay for Fall Time was co-written by Steve Alden and Skemp. This marked the feature film debut of Warner. Development began in the early under the auspices of production companies Capitol Films, Live , and Bates , with the project greenlit in 1993 ahead of the following year. The $4 million budget prioritized recreating the period through authentic costumes, props, and set design, ensuring the film's visual fidelity to its era despite modest resources. A pivotal pre-production choice was the late rural setting. To ground the antagonistic criminals, was cast in a lead role, leveraging his established presence in noir-adjacent projects.

Filming

Principal photography for Fall Time commenced in April 1994 and wrapped in May 1994. The production was primarily filmed on location in Wilmington and , doubling for rural in the . Cinematographer Mark J. Gordon captured the film's visuals, drawing on noir influences from the script to shape shot compositions that emphasized a tense, shadowy aesthetic. Post-production editing was led by Steven Nevius, who assembled the 88-minute feature. The original score was composed by Hummie Mann, contributing to the suspenseful tone. Producer managed on-set logistics for the independent production, while executive producer Jay Cohen provided oversight.

Release

Premiere

Fall Time world premiered in January 1995 at the , competing in the dramatic category for the Grand Jury Prize, which was ultimately awarded to . The film appeared as part of the 's dramatic competition lineup, which featured a selection of independent thrillers and dramas seeking breakout exposure. Leading up to the , limited previews occurred in early 1995, including a January 4 screening in Beverly Hills that drew pre-festival attention. Fresh off completed in April–May 1994, promotional efforts spotlighted the involvement of stars and to attract interest in the indie production. With a of 88 minutes, the earned an from the MPAA for violence, strong language, and brief sexuality. Early festival coverage in highlighted the project's debut status for director Paul Warner, generating modest buzz amid the event's focus on emerging independent voices.

Distribution

Following its premiere at the , Fall Time underwent limited theatrical distribution in the United States by Live Entertainment starting in 1995, targeting primarily art-house theaters and select urban markets. Bates Entertainment, the film's production company, managed initial sales negotiations at to secure this domestic deal. Internationally, the film saw minimal theatrical rollout, with documented releases including on May 13, 1995; video distribution occurred in the and select other European markets during the late . For home media, a edition was released by Live Entertainment on November 14, 1995. A DVD version followed in 1999, with availability persisting through rental and purchase platforms. As of 2025, digital streaming options remain limited, including free ad-supported streaming on , as well as on-demand services like Apple TV Channel and for rent or purchase, without broad subscription emphasis. Marketing efforts were constrained by the film's independent budget, relying on standard posters and theatrical trailers that spotlighted the 1950s period setting and including and .

Reception

Critical reception

Fall Time received mixed reviews from critics, earning a 36% approval rating on based on 19 reviews, with praise for the cast's chemistry but criticism for uneven pacing and gratuitous violence. Todd McCarthy of described the film as a "thoroughly pedestrian crime drama" with formulaic plotting, noting that the script's depiction of was graphic and unsparing, suggesting the material suited a shorter at most. of labeled it "pointless sadism and tiresome pseudoexistential philosophizing," criticizing its lack of purpose beyond shock value. Some independent outlets commended Mickey Rourke's intense performance as the menacing , highlighting his portrayal as both chilling and tailor-made for the role, while appreciating the film's evocation of small-town aesthetics. Dennis Schwartz of Ozus' World Movie Reviews gave it a C+ grade, praising Rourke's sleazy yet hilarious characterization amid the indie bank setup. Critics attributed much of the film's tonal inconsistencies to director Paul Warner's inexperience in his feature debut, resulting in competent but uninspired helming that failed to cohere the narrative's shifts. At the 1995 , where it premiered and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize (ultimately won by ), the film was viewed as promising for its youthful energy but not groundbreaking in its execution. The prank-robbery twist drew brief comparisons to classics, though it was seen as derivative rather than innovative.

Box office

Fall Time was produced on a $4 million budget, characteristic of mid-1990s thrillers. The film had a in the United States on May 13, , but did not appear in major charts for the year, indicating minimal commercial performance at the . Primarily distributed via by Live Entertainment, it generated its primary revenue from video sales rather than theatrical earnings, with no significant international reported. This underperformance relative to its Sundance premiere hype contributed to its development as a rather than a mainstream success.

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