Just one in the constant lineup of new indie movies, Fall Is A Good Time To Die (2025) presents a new take on the classic Western trope. Scenic and silent, it presents a plot the viewer is likely familiar with from yet another perspective. However, it may be a little too sparse to be truly lovable. This movie, while in no way dipping below the line of acceptability or promise, is sadly compromised by its lack of attention to detail and slow-moving plot. Even though the concept brought viewers in, the stoic and closed approach left it feeling like there could’ve been more.The plot of the film is centered around the main character, Cody’s (Joe Hiatt) pursuit of Jason White (Christopher Dobesh) after he gets out of prison, a sentence earned by his abuse of Cody’s younger sister. The news of his release, brought to him by his aunt, Trista (Joey Lauren Adams), leaves Cody feeling restless and in need of revenge. In the town where Jason White resides, his new mission leads him to cross paths with the town’s sheriff, Jane (Jennifer Pierce Mathus), as she struggles to reconcile with the actions her job has led her to take.
Dalton Coffey, the director, has produced a few other movies before, with this being his latest. For someone so early in his career, his work shows promise and has earned some recognition from film-dedicated spaces online. His style in this movie script is notable for its dedication to the theme of quiet resolve and dedication, though its method didn’t translate well enough to be understood more deeply based off a first viewing.
Dialogue throughout the movie is almost unnaturally sparse, with long stretches of the film being completely silent outside the soft soundtrack. While this is appropriate for some scenes, notably high-stakes yet stealthy pursuit and investigation of the antagonist, it does leave more to be desired most of the time. The soundtrack does compliment the mood of the film, but not enough to make up for the lack of dialogue in almost every scene.
Lighting in this film stood out as a well-planned and used element of almost every shot. As the main characters go through the low points of their respective character arcs, their shots are dim, at times showing a few rays or the promise of light in the background. As the plot progresses, more light gets introduced. The climactic scenes are bathed in light, almost too much light that oppresses the viewer and character in its stark contrast, and the resolution includes soft yet bright sunlight.
The character writing was sadly lackluster however, leaving much more to be desired. Each character, including the main ones, have no depth or personality past their plot-related motivations and end goal. Every aspect of their backstory seems to have been created with the express desire to further the events of the film, which lends the overall film to seeming bare-bones in its expression of how the characters engage with their situation.
The camera work throughout the movie was decent yet again lackluster, with most scenes being shot from one stagnant perspective at a time with some exceptions for particularly significant scenes. While this did make those shots stand out even more, the rest of the film was left feeling visually bland to a noticeable extent. However, it remained acceptable enough to be consistently watchable.
At the end of the day, Fall Is A Good Time To Die was in no way unwatchable or noticeably missing core elements, but it definitely left more to be desired throughout the film.
