Catch Florence Pugh in her very first role when it airs tonight (Friday, November 8) on BBC Two, with catch-up available for free on BBC iPlayer.
The highly regarded British thespian has risen to fame through her roles in blockbuster sagas such as Dune and Marvel, as well as her performances in historical cinematic pieces like Oppenheimer and Little Women.
She’s recently dazzled audiences alongside Andrew Garfield in the romantic dramedy We Live in Time, slated for a New Year’s Day release in the UK.
Yet before she was catapulted into global acclaim, Pugh captivated viewers in The Falling, an intriguing mystery drama with Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams also in the cast.
The film, set in 1969, revolves around schoolgirls swept up in mass hysteria following a tragedy, resulting in a tide of fainting spells and death that ultimately triggers a frantic search for answers, reports the Mirror.
While The Falling might not have been a box office sensation during its original run, it has achieved a cult status and is essential viewing for dedicated followers of Pugh’s burgeoning career.
The Rotten Tomatoes critical summary praises the film: “Well-acted and overall unsettling, The Falling delivers thought-provoking thrills – and suggests a bright future for writer-director Carol Morley.”
Additionally, viewers have found the narrative hauntingly unique, with a Rotten Tomatoes user reflecting: “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 penned: “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 glowing five-star review on Letterboxd, the movie social media platform, hailed 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.”
Another viewer enthused: “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.”
For those not hitting the town this Friday night, The Falling will be aired on BBC Two at 11.05pm. Films typically stay on BBC iPlayer for 30 days following their broadcast.