Falling Rocks

A truly authentic look at “the highs and lows of the modern youth experience in rural Northern England”, Falling Rocks by filmmaker William Sash tells a tale of straining friendships in the claustrophobia of small-town life.

When friends Cain (Cross) and Peter (Beal) reunite in their small humble town somewhere in Northern England after Peter’s four-year sojourn to university, a night out sees them picking up right where they left off. It all starts with pre-drinking back in the fields they used to knock about in amongst a graveyard of abandoned washing machines and other appliances, swapping old stories and memories and updates on the locals before heading onto the pubs in town to drink some more.

But it’s clear that four years on things have changed. Peter is of course glad to be back home and with his best friend, but is also full of new experiences and stories to tell from his years at university. Cain however, is not interested in any of it, peppering Peter with jibes about “having changed”, and only really concerned with him and Peter keeping the party going.

And so, Sash takes us on this night out with them, the film itself becoming hazier and smokier (but always beautiful) the deeper Cain and Peter get into the evening, and subtly the underlying friction between the pair starts to reveal itself. Peter is of course happy for a good time, but also wants to make something of himself and laments the idea of coming back just to do the same old things they used to. Cain on the other hand, wants too much of a good time and sees no problem with that, compensating perhaps for jealousy or insecurity by rubbing everyone else up the wrong way in the process, taking the piss, picking fights and generally unwilling accept others might want to move on.

Every one of Sash’s filmmaking choices and their execution are on point; the idyllic but desolate seaside landscape is shown off beautifully and is a perfect location for this tale of drifting souls. The script feels unerringly authentic and infallible throughout as well, but the best choice was to keep almost every frame contained to focusing solely and intimately on the two leads, because it’s the chemistry between the two actors that is the films strongest weapon. Both Cross and Beal’s performances shine relentlessly, and must be said play drunk so convincingly one would not be surprised if there was an element of method in there. But most of all Cross and Beal do feel and act like they have been friends before either could talk, and we feel every bit of that affection Cain and Peter have for each other despite that palpably growing distance between them. It never quite culminates into anything too dramatic, but leaves us with more than enough to fill in the gaps.

Performances, writing, cinematography, whatever box you’re thinking of, Falling Rocks will probably tick it.