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Jenna Ortega’s early-career film is number one on HBO Max, as it should be. The Fallout is an independent film directed by Megan Park, known for My Old Ass, starring Aubrey Plaza. In The Fallout, sixteen-year-old Vada grapples with the emotional aftermath of a school shooting. The film stars Jenna Ortega as Vada, acting against fellow leads Maddie Ziegler and Niles Fitch.
The Fallout debuted at the South by Southwest (SXSW) film festival in 2021, held virtually that year. The film earned top prize in the SXSW Narrative Feature category and was heavily lauded in the indie-film circuit. The Fallout was praised for its deft handling of sensitive subject matter.
The teen drama premiered on HBO Max in Jan. 2022. Its VOD release earned the film additional critical attention and applause. The Fallout received an 8/10 score from Screen Rant and a 90% from Rotten Tomatoes. While the film has also been well-received by its cult following—with an 83% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes—it has not received the mass viewership it deserves.
Over the past five years, The Fallout has largely sat back as a hidden gem on HBO Max, receiving a steady simmer of viewership. Now, Jenna Ortega’s standout drama has found its rightful place as the number one movie on HBO Max in the United States.
How The Fallout Showcases Jenna Ortega’s Talent
The initial and continued success of The Fallout can be partially attributed to a standout performance from Jenna Ortega. Upon its release, The Fallout’s slew of positive reviews centered on Ortega’s captivating showing.
Review after review highlighted Ortega appearance in the film. This is common for movies that are marketed on the clout of a big-name Hollywood star. However, Ortega was not yet a household name in early 2022. Her breakout role in the Netflix series Wednesday would not arrive until the end of the year. Rather, the actor warranted this praise from a skillful performance in her first leading role.
In The Fallout, Ortega expertly depicts the elusive and undefinable experience of trauma processing. The exceptional actor displays an amalgamation of sorrow, despondence, and humor in an authentic portrayal of undefined grief. Ortega expertly incites feeling in viewers as they experience her emotional turmoil along with her. This powerful and nuanced performance was also lauded in the film’s New York Times review.
“Ortega nails her role as a levelheaded teen who, nevertheless, is still a teen, reeling from an unthinkable event on top of the usual growing pains. Her impulsive, bizarre and, yes, even funny outbursts as she tries to reckon with the shooting paint a grounded and compassionate picture of adolescent grief,” writes Claire Shaffer of the NYT.
The Fallout is widely considered Jenna Ortega’s best performance to date.
Jenna Ortega Is Becoming One Of The Best Stars Of Her Generation
Ortega has had a rapid succession of standout performances following her applauded role in The Fallout. The actor has since appeared in 11 movies, with more on the horizon.
Beginning with The Fallout in January, Ortega starred in four movies and a TV show in 2022 alone. Though most widely known for her leading role in the 2022 show, Wednesday, Ortega delivered some of her best performances in her film roles. Highlights from her year of cinematic success include Scream, Studio 666, and the awad-winning X.
In the A24 slasher thriller, X, Ortega begrudgingly tags along for the taping of an adult film directed by her boyfriend. While on location at a farmhouse, the production turns into a bloody disaster. Though not in the leading role, Ortega delivers a memorable performance that stands as an early example of her mastery in the horror genre—just one facit of her expansive versatility.
Since 2022, Ortega has continued to star in a slew of movies from across the genre spectrum. While these movies have received mixed reviews, with some flopping and others soaring, Ortega’s performances remain consistently well-done and highly praised.
Ortega’s star continues to rise, and she is appearing in three movies this year— The Gallerist, Klara and the Sun, and The Great Beyond.
As evidenced by her early-career performance in The Fallout, Ortega has the makings of an acting legend.
