Florence Pugh’s debut role is airing tonight (Friday, November 8) on BBC Two and fans will be able to catch up for free on BBC iPlayer.
The acclaimed English actress has become well-known for appearing in major franchises like Dune and Marvel as well as historical dramas such as Oppenheimer and Little Women.
She recently co-starred opposite Andrew Garfield in the romantic dramedy We Live in Time, which will be released to UK audiences on New Year’s Day.
However, before achieving international stardom, Pugh made her cinematic debut in this compelling mystery drama starring Game of Thrones breakout Maisie Williams.
Titled The Falling, the 2014 film follows a group of schoolgirls in 1969 who get caught up in an epidemic of mass hysteria after a devastating tragedy.
When one of the girls begins to suffer fainting spells and dies, the rest of her class, and even a young teacher, begin to spontaneously pass out, leading to a frenzied investigation.
Despite not being a bit hit at the box office upon its initial release, The Falling has developed a cult following and shouldn’t be missed by Pugh’s long-term fans.
The Rotten Tomatoes critics’ consensus reads: “Well-acted and overall unsettling, The Falling delivers thought-provoking thrills – and suggests a bright future for writer-director Carol Morley.”
And an audience review on the platform said: “The Falling has an eerie and unique story: a girls’ school in the late 60’s is the stage of an epidemic hysterical fainting.
“The strange phenomenon is a metaphor for the contagious sexual liberation that starts with the death of an emancipated girl. The movie is a melodrama with some subtle elements of the supernatural. Beautifully weird!”
Jordan Brooks of Vague Visages wrote: “Morley pushes the film’s ‘mystery’ beyond any audience guessing games to a level of bewilderment above any useful analysis, leaving viewers in a state of excited shock.”
A five-star review on the movie social media platform Letterboxd described it as “a magnificent and distinctive film, and one of those films that will leave you thinking long after you’ve left the cinema.
“A film that can be interpreted in several ways, and which relishes in its ambiguity. English realism crossed with a more experimental style and hints of folk horror make for a very distinctive atmosphere, perfect to complement the rich exploration of sexuality, anger, and grief.”
And another said: “Everyone go see this – the landscapes, aesthetic and soundtrack are unbelievably beautiful and the acting is outstanding.
“It manages to honestly portray young female sexuality without sexualising the girls themselves and is one of the best representations of teenage girlhood I’ve seen.”
If you’re not staying out late on Friday night, The Falling will be broadcast on BBC Two at 11.05pm. Films usually remain on BBC iPlayer for 30 days after they air.
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