'Free Fall' is the latest work from writer-director duo György Pálfi and Zsófia Ruttkay, whose previous works include 'Hukkle' and 'Taxidermia', two films that will make you think that all Hungarians are weird and enjoy pig semen.
The premise for this was one that I liked: With someone jumping from the roof of a block of flats, a short tale of the happenings in a flat from each floor is subsequently told about the weird lives that live above and below the ceiling. All packaged in a soundtrack by Amon Tobin.
'Free Fall', therefore, is more like a sketch show, with all the characters held together by a connecting theme: the building they live in, reminding very much of Sean Lock's '15 Storeys High'. All the shorts are filmed in a different style, but all are dark comedies, though some are more on the dark and less on the comedy.
What follows is group meditation, naked people at choir practice, uber safe sex, a US sit-com threesome, forced re-birth, among others, with no explanation for each offered. Some work, others less so, with the changing of styles creating a switching from comedy, to confusion, to what?!, back to comedy, oh a penis, etc. This creates an uneven watch, but keeps you interested at least as to what might come next...oh, I wish I hadn't seen that!
The highlight for me is perhaps the opening credits - not a great compliment, but better than saying the highlight was the end - with its brash Amon Tobin soundtrack and grainy footage, like some sort of electro-punk music video. The changing of style throughout shows some versatility from the two directors, like the opposite styles of 'Hukkle' and 'Taxidermia' previously.
'Free fall' is good, but not great, too inconsistent to be a thoroughly entertaining watch throughout. It wasn't quite what I expected - I expected an episode of '15 Storeys High' - but that's 'Free Fall's' strength: surprise, delivering the unexpected and the changing emotions that come with it; up and down like a lift in a block of flats.
The premise for this was one that I liked: With someone jumping from the roof of a block of flats, a short tale of the happenings in a flat from each floor is subsequently told about the weird lives that live above and below the ceiling. All packaged in a soundtrack by Amon Tobin.
'Free Fall', therefore, is more like a sketch show, with all the characters held together by a connecting theme: the building they live in, reminding very much of Sean Lock's '15 Storeys High'. All the shorts are filmed in a different style, but all are dark comedies, though some are more on the dark and less on the comedy.
What follows is group meditation, naked people at choir practice, uber safe sex, a US sit-com threesome, forced re-birth, among others, with no explanation for each offered. Some work, others less so, with the changing of styles creating a switching from comedy, to confusion, to what?!, back to comedy, oh a penis, etc. This creates an uneven watch, but keeps you interested at least as to what might come next...oh, I wish I hadn't seen that!
The highlight for me is perhaps the opening credits - not a great compliment, but better than saying the highlight was the end - with its brash Amon Tobin soundtrack and grainy footage, like some sort of electro-punk music video. The changing of style throughout shows some versatility from the two directors, like the opposite styles of 'Hukkle' and 'Taxidermia' previously.
'Free fall' is good, but not great, too inconsistent to be a thoroughly entertaining watch throughout. It wasn't quite what I expected - I expected an episode of '15 Storeys High' - but that's 'Free Fall's' strength: surprise, delivering the unexpected and the changing emotions that come with it; up and down like a lift in a block of flats.