Falling Up

Falling Up follows nursing student Henry O’Shea (Joseph Cross) as he’s forced to drop out of school and take on a job as a doorman after his father dies, with the film subsequently detailing Henry’s ongoing exploits within the upper-class building and his eventual romance of a wealthy resident (Sarah Roemer’s Scarlett Dowling). Director David M. Rosenthal has infused Falling Up with a gritty indie sensibility that often seems at odds with the almost pervasively conventional storyline, yet the less-than-fresh atmosphere is initially offset by the New York-centric visuals and uniformly compelling performances – with the latter exemplified by Cross’ affable, incredibly charismatic turn as the earnest protagonist. The actor’s unexpectedly strong portrayal, which is certainly in sharp contrast to his annoying work in Running with Scissors, is matched by an eclectic supporting cast that includes Joe Pantoliano, Rachael Leigh Cook, and Snoop Dogg, and it is, as a result, impossible not to become wrapped up in the central character’s episodic, distinctly low-key exploits. It’s only as Rosenthal and co-writer Joseph M. Smith place an increasingly prominent emphasis on elements of a decidedly hackneyed nature that one’s interest begins to flag, as the scripters’ reliance on such romcom staples as the fake break-up, the disapproving parent, and the race to reunite with a loved one ensure that Falling Up inevitably peters out in a rather substantial way. Still, this is a relatively minor complaint for a romantic comedy that is otherwise quite engaging and awfully likeable – with the palpable chemistry between Cross and Roemer ultimately smoothing over the various bumps within the narrative.

**1/2 out of ****