Film Review: The Falls (2021) — Finding Light Behind the Blue Wall

 

The Falls (Original title: Pu Bu) | 2021 | 2h 9m
Genre: Drama | Country: China
Director: Mong-Hong Chung | Writers: Yao-Sheng Chang, Mong-Hong Chung
Cast: Alyssa Chia, Gingle Wang, Chen Yiwen
IMDB: 7.0
My Rate: 8/10

Xiao Jing has to go into self-isolation after her friend gets Covid-19, but one by one, shocking secrets begin to surface — about her mother, her family, and Xiao Jing herself, who must find a way to face it all.

Warning:

Violence scenes, strong language

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Synopsis:

Xiao Jing must undergo self-quarantine after one of her schoolmates is diagnosed with Covid-19. Her mother, Pin Wen, decides to take leave from work so she can stay home and accompany Xiao Jing. Covid-19 also affects Pin Wen’s job — her salary, along with her coworkers’, is cut due to the situation.

From the start, Pin Wen and Xiao Jing’s relationship isn’t good. The quarantine only makes it worse. Pin Wen feels that Xiao Jing is being rude to her, even writing harsh words on her plate — something that deeply hurts her. Things reach their breaking point when Pin Wen is found wandering alone on the street and has to be taken to the hospital.

Xiao Jing feels confused about her mother’s condition. She only now realizes the heavy burden her mother has been carrying alone all this time — especially after finding out that her father, who divorced her mother only a few years ago, already has a new family with a child who’s old enough. It’s a secret that had been hidden, even from her mother.

Pin Wen eventually goes back to work, and Xiao Jing returns to school. But suspicion starts to grow in Xiao Jing’s mind after noticing her mother’s strange behavior. She finally decides to follow Pin Wen to her workplace.

Will their lives ever go back to how they used to be?

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Review:

Covid-19 was a time when the world seemed to stop breathing. Through The Falls, the audience is invited to see another side of that moment — not from hospitals or empty streets, but from the quiet rooms of a home, where a mother and daughter slowly lose their way. The film honestly portrays how isolation doesn’t just separate people from the outside world — it also forces them to face themselves.

The story begins with a subtle sense of tension. Pin Wen and her daughter, Xiao Jing, who already have a strained relationship, are now stuck under the same roof yet feel like they live in two different worlds. The silence and emotional distance only make things worse. The constant pressure, along with financial troubles, pushes Pin Wen deeper into her mental struggles. There’s no one she can really lean on.

As time goes on, the shift becomes clear — the house that should’ve been a place of comfort turns into a monster that swallows their peace. Pin Wen’s psychological condition continues to deteriorate, and Xiao Jing, who at first doesn’t care, slowly begins to see her mother’s fragile side. The conflict doesn’t explode through shouting or arguments — it builds through silence that feels heavier each minute. Every line, gesture, and expression carries something unspoken.

The film ends with a quiet acceptance from both characters. The use of meaningful symbols deepens the story and becomes clearer at the end. The Falls itself carries multiple meanings: the fall of their lives, the noise inside Pin Wen’s mind, and the literal waterfall where Xiao Jing’s accident happens. The blue cover used during the apartment’s renovation also holds deep symbolism — sadness, and the emotional transition they go through. When that blue cover is finally removed and sunlight starts to enter, it marks the beginning of a brighter future for them.

The lead actresses, Alyssa Chia and Gingle Wang, deliver incredible performances — expressing emotion without needing many words. Their gazes, subtle expressions, and pauses between sentences feel so real. The music and color palette perfectly support the film’s calm, melancholic tone — not overdone, but memorable.

The Falls isn’t a film made for quick entertainment. It feels more like a long conversation about loneliness and inner strength — about how sometimes, the only way to stand tall again is to allow ourselves to fall first.

“Maybe in the end, everyone just needs someone who’s willing to listen to their fall without judging — because from there, the courage to rise slowly begins to grow.”

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Memorable Scene:

Pin Wen asks Xiao Jing to stop asking if she’s okay, because the truth is, she never is. But she’ll keep trying to be.

In real life, we often do the same thing — when someone we know is going through something sad, we ask, “Are you okay now?” as a way of showing care. But from their point of view, hearing that question over and over can feel suffocating. They’re already trying their best to be okay. Sometimes, all we can really do is just stay beside them — no words needed.

Memorable Dialogue:

“Everyone has a painful past, the only difference is how much pain.”

 

Ending:

Happy Ending

Recommendation:

Worth to Watch

(Aluna)