Falling Down (1993) is a gem of a film, and is excellent on many levels. Written by Ebbe Rowe Smith, and directed by Joel Schumacher, it has, rather shallowly, been placed by some in the 'angry white man' genre. Yet while it does undeniably deal with themes of race and prejudice, another overriding issue seems to drive the film – that of identity. It repeatedly raises the questions, What makes identity? and How does the loss of identity lead to breakdown, both psychologically and socially?

Loss and change are portrayed dramatically in Falling Down, as the characters cling to some semblance of identity in the chaos that surrounds them. But the city of Los Angeles itself, the setting of the film, also seems to be suffering a deterioration, or at least a fragmentation of identity, as reflected in its seeming unfriendliness, poverty, ghettoisation, and crime. Furthermore – and rather cleverly – an atmosphere of cynicism pervades the entire movie. I want to briefly look at how this film illustrates the difficulties of establishing and sustaining identity when aggravated by change, particularly with reference to Buddhism and the philosophy of John Locke.

Identity Confusions