The Fallout

I think the enduring thing about "The Breakfast Club," the reason it continues to be discovered by new generations, is because of the honesty in the writing, the dialogue. Those kids, John Hughes' kids, felt real; they still feel real. The Netflix series, "Ginny and Georgia" is one contemporary example of honest dialogue - at least it felt that way to me. "The Fallout" is a teen drama about a high-school shooting. It's a heavy subject. It's the first feature film written and directed by Megan Park. Wow, what a way to come flying out of the gate. I can't say enough about how impressive this debut is - the level of honesty in the writing and in the performances is extraordinary. Jenna Ortega (also in 2022s "Scream" and "X") as Vada and Maddie Ziegler (found also in 2021's "West Side Story") as Mia are both really impressive - they seem accomplished beyond their years. This is the story of the post-traumatic effects of a mass school shooting as we see it through the eyes of four select students, the main one being Vada; how it affects her family, her relationships, and mostly how it affects her. From the phone messaging/texting to the music, this film feels contemporary. Hats off to Megan Park for putting together something so honest and human. I look forward to seeing what she does next. Catch this auspicious debut on HBOMax/CRAVE.