Falling Down

Falling Down is a 1993 American crime drama thriller film directed by Joel Schumacher, written by Ebbe Roe Smith and released by Warner Bros. in the United States on February 26, 1993. The film stars Michael Douglas in the lead role of William Foster, a divorced and unemployed former defense engineer. It centers on Foster's trek across the city of Los Angeles as he attempts to reach the house of his estranged ex-wife in time for his daughter's birthday. Along the way, a series of encounters, both trivial and provocative, cause him to react with increasing violence and to make sardonic observations on life, poverty, the economy, and commercialism. The film received mixed to positive reviews. It grossed $96 million against a $25 million budget, taking the top spot at the United States box office in its first two weeks of release. Plot William Foster, a divorced and laid off defense worker, is stuck in traffic on a hot day. After his air conditioning fails, he abandons his car and begins walking home across Los Angeles, carrying his briefcase.