THE FALLS: TESTAMENT OF LOVE

US, 2014, 118 minutes, Colour.

Nick Ferrucci, Benjamin Farmer, Hannah Barefoot, Bruce Jennings, Thomas Stroppel.

Directed by Jon Garcia.

The Falls films comprise a trilogy, the story of two young men, significantly members of The Church of Latter Day Saints, the Mormons, from devout families, committed families, who undertake the required mission, encountering people in the streets. The first film elaborates the start of the mission, practical details, the challenge to faith, temptations in the form of alcohol and drugs, the two young men encountering an Iraq veteran with PTSD, befriending him, his opening up a world beyond their experience.

However, in the first film, there is the sexual attraction between the two, hesitations, doubts, prayer, moral principles, defiance and decisions.

The same actors appear through the three films, Nick Ferrucci as RJ, Benjamin Farmer  as Chris. The young men’s parents also appear throughout the films. Each film was written and directed by Jon Garcia.

The second film features the aftermath of the decision, the two going on travels but returning home, RJ leaving the church, becoming a writer, Chris severing connections, going back home to Salt Lake City, marrying, starting a family, working as a salesman but belonging to the church, heavily influenced by his parents. RJ’s parents are much more sympathetic.

The death and funeral of the PTSD friend brings the two together, Chris hesitant, RJ more impetuous, intruding on the family and Chris’s wife.

This is significant in the second film, her discovering the truth, sense of betrayal, the camera dramatising her experience with a great number of close-ups, intense.

The emphasis is on the struggle, each handling the meetings in a different way, Chris having to face his father and the church, RJ in a dramatic (which some find and realistically overdramatic) scene where he kisses Chris during a public function.

The third film has each of the two accepting their sexual orientation, RJ in a relationship but breaking it, the need for him to be reunited with Chris. The funeral of Chris’s mother is an occasion, with RJ’s father also attending, the confrontation, reconciliation, and a challenge to Chris’s father, his role with the elders of the church, the change to his beliefs.

Ultimately, there is the reconciliation and the families participating in a marriage ceremony.

Important is the director’s perspective on the Mormons, as a church, its origins, American history, presence in Salt Lake City, the mission, the young missionaries and their service, the governments, the elders, the quorum, the president. There is the Church’s language of Heavenly Father, images of Jesus but few references to him in prayer, the quality of faith and prayer, pervading every-day life. Then the film and its critique of the Mormons – but this trilogy as a challenge to the Church’s stances of same-sex relationships, no baptism of children in same-sex relationships, the plea for humanity and God’s love and interpreting the letter of the law.

So, the three films and the portrait of the two men, their faith, the mission, their identity, sexual orientation, relationships, struggles and alienation, faith, faith, convictions and the films as a plea for faith and belief but also for an acknowledgement of God’s role in human lives, love, tradition morality, challenges.

1. The story continues? Five years later? The presuppositions from the first film?
2. The settings in Seattle, apartments, workplaces? The settings in Salt Lake City? Homes, workplaces, motels, the Mormon centre? The musical score, the various humans?
3. RJ’s narrative, the breaking up of the mission, the year travelling around America, the relationship with Chris? The return, RJ and his alienation from the church, yet his faith, Mormon underwear, where? His writing, publishing e-books, editing the magazine? His relationship with Paul? Domestic? His writing to Chris, no replies?
4. News of the death of Rodney, the decision to go to the funeral, RJ and his family, the letter, seeing Chris? Talking with Chris, the formalities? Walking him to the door? The effect on him, the return to Seattle? His relationship with Paul, Paul meeting his parents, the decision to break? Paul’s reaction?
5. Audiences identifying with RJ, on his intrusion into Chris’s life, emotions? Getting the time of, going to Salt Lake City, coming to the house, agreeing to come to the meal, meeting Emily and the baby, the decision to stay the night? Intrusive? The meetings with Chris, the talk, Chris and his responses, emotion, the further meetings, and releasing the kiss?
6. The second part of the film with a focus on Chris, the story of his return, the judgement of the elders, his being readmitted, no penalty, the role of his father, therapy, not telling his mother? Chris’s motivations, feeling stronger, the attraction to Emily, the wedding ceremony, the family, the house, the pharmaceuticals job, Emily and her work, his work on mission?
7. The impact of RJ coming to Salt Lake City, Chris having to face the realities, gay, relationships? His confession to RJ? Emily, the bond with her, the baby, her ceremony with the red jacket, driving home, seeing the kiss? The confrontation?
8. The device of having close-ups on Emily’s face for the key emotional sequences, the audiences identifying with her, the intensity of the emotions?
9. Chris, his father, the influence, upset?
10. RJ his presence, the anguish in the hotel room, his mood, destroying the underwear, attempts at prayer? Loss of faith?
11. The discussions with Emily, the issue of divorce, the future? His father’s anniversary, the ceremony, Chris singing the hymn, RJ coming in, walking to the centre, challenging Chris, the public kiss, doing his father’s speech?
12. The various reactions, Chris and his brother, his sister in law and her support?
13. The future, Chris being honest, time for Emily, the family? The father’s phone calling RJ’s father, his father’s strong stands in terms of the church, honesty, support of children?
14. The final talk between Chris and his father, his father wanting to leave, Chris refusing, the talk, his father and his faith, the shame of having a gay son, the final weekly and embrace? What future?