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.
At a convenience store, the Korean owner refuses to give change for a telephone call. Foster begins ranting about the high prices. The owner grabs a baseball bat and demands Foster leave. Foster takes the bat and destroys much of the merchandise before leaving. Later, while resting on a hill, he is accosted by two gang members, who threaten him with a knife and demand his briefcase. Foster attacks them and takes their knife.
The gang members, now in a car with two friends and armed, find Foster using a payphone. They open fire, hitting several bystanders but not Foster. The driver crashes. Foster picks up a gun, shoots the one surviving gang member, and then leaves with their bag of weapons. Foster encounters a panhandler and gives him the briefcase, which only contains his lunch.
At a fast-food restaurant, Foster attempts to order breakfast, but is told they have switched to the lunch menu. After an argument with the manager, Foster pulls a gun and fires into the ceiling accidentally. After trying to reassure the frightened employees and customers, he orders lunch, but is annoyed when the burger looks nothing like the one on the menu. He leaves, tries to call from a phone booth, then shoots the booth to pieces after being hassled by someone who was waiting to use the phone. After Foster calls "home" again and states his intention to attend his daughter's birthday party, his ex-wife Beth notifies the police because she has a restraining order.
Sergeant Martin Prendergast, who is on his last day before retirement, insists on investigating. Interviews with witnesses lead Prendergast to suspect that the same person is responsible. Foster's vanity license plate proves to be an important lead, because Prendergast remembers being in the same traffic jam as Foster earlier that day. Prendergast and his partner, Detective Sandra Torres, visit Foster's mother, who is surprised to learn that he lost his job. They realize Foster is heading toward his former family's home in Venice and rush to intercept him.
Foster passes a bank where a black man is protesting after being rejected for a loan. The man exchanges a glance with Foster and says, "Don't forget me," as he is escorted away by police. Foster stops at a military surplus store to buy boots. The owner, a homophobic Neo-Nazi, diverts Torres when she comes in. After Torres leaves, he offers Foster a rocket launcher and congratulates him for shooting "a bunch of niggers" at the restaurant. When Foster expresses distaste for the store owner's bigotry, the man becomes hostile and attempts to turn him over to the police, but Foster stabs him then shoots him dead. Foster changes into army clothes, takes the rocket launcher and leaves.
Foster encounters a road repair crew who are not working and accuses them of doing unnecessary repairs to justify their budget. He pulls out the rocket launcher but struggles to use it, until a boy explains how it works. Foster accidentally fires the launcher, blowing up the construction site. By the time Foster reaches Beth’s house, she has already fled with their daughter. He realizes that they may have gone to nearby Venice Pier, but Prendergast and Torres arrive before he can pursue them. Foster shoots Torres, injuring her, and flees with Prendergast in pursuit.