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Timeline

Fall (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 82 min · English
Directed by
Terrance Odette

At Niagara Falls, Father Sam’s peaceful life as a Roman Catholic priest is shattered by a resurfaced secret from his past. A fragmented memory of an encounter with a young boy decades earlier haunts him, forcing him to question his actions and confront a potential lapse in judgment. As he struggles to reconcile his faith with a possible moral failing, he seeks redemption and grapples with his own fallibility.

On this page (4)
  1. 1 Events in order (15)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Every angle

15 events in order · contains spoilers

Fall Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Fall (2017) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Adventure Begins

    Becky, her husband Dan, and best friend Hunter embark on a thrilling expedition to scale a colossal rock wall. The trio is excited and ready for what they believe to be an exhilarating adventure in nature's grandeur.

  2. Tragic Fall

    During the climb, a sudden fright caused by a bat leads Dan to lose his grip. In a devastating twist of fate, his harness breaks, resulting in his fatal plummet, leaving Becky shattered and traumatized.

  3. Life After Loss

    Nearly a year after Dan's death, Becky struggles with profound grief and relies heavily on alcohol to cope. Her relationship with her father, James, has deteriorated as she distances herself from any emotional connection.

  4. Call from Hunter

    Becky receives a phone call from Hunter, who suggests an audacious challenge to scale a towering TV mast over 2000 feet high. Initially hesitant, the idea slowly rekindles a spark in Becky, aided by Hunter's encouragement.

  5. Nightmare and Awakening

    Becky experiences a harrowing nightmare featuring Dan, prompting her to reflect on their last moments together. She confides in Hunter about a haunting message from Dan, urging her to 'not be afraid to live', which spurs her to embrace the climb.

  6. The Roadside Diner

    Before heading to the tower, Becky and Hunter stop at a roadside diner. Here, Hunter ingeniously finds a way to charge Becky's phone, showing their determination and camaraderie as they prepare for the daunting challenge ahead.

    Where
    Roadside diner
  7. Facing Obstacles

    As they approach the tower, excitement is overshadowed by anxiety when they encounter a massive gate. The eerie sight of a coyote carcass being consumed by vultures foreshadows the dangerous journey that lies ahead.

  8. The Climb Begins

    Steeling themselves, Becky and Hunter begin their ascent of the massive TV tower. They share a moment of triumph when they reach the 1000-feet mark, surpassing the height of the Eiffel Tower and feeling a surge of exhilaration.

  9. Moments at the Summit

    Upon reaching the summit, Becky and Hunter revel in breathtaking views and uncharted heights. The moment takes an emotional turn as Becky scatters Dan's ashes from the peak, confronting her grief while connecting with Hunter.

    Where
    Tower summit
  10. Descent Challenges

    As they begin to descend, unexpected equipment failures lead to chaos. The realization sets in that broken rungs pose extreme risks, and in a moment of panic, Hunter saves Becky from a potentially deadly fall.

  11. Desperate Search for Help

    Stuck without cell signal, Becky and Hunter find themselves trapped within the relentless landscape. They struggle for hours to signal for assistance, feeling the weight of isolation as hope begins to fade.

  12. Revelation and Tension

    As night falls, past emotions resurface when Becky discovers a tattoo on Hunter's foot that connects her to Dan. This revelation creates a tense confrontation, complicating their already strained relationship during their desperate survival.

  13. Using a Drone for Hope

    In a frantic attempt to signal for help, Becky and Hunter utilize a drone. Their hope lies in the technology's ability to reach the outside world, although they face limitations that make their situation increasingly dire.

  14. Facing the Vulture

    Becky confronts a vulture that poses a threat to their survival during their ordeal. This terrifying encounter serves as a metaphor for her fight against despair and the will to survive, marking a turning point in her emotional state.

  15. Reunion with James

    James arrives at the scene, completely unaware of the chaos that transpires high above. He experiences a wave of relief when he finally finds Becky on stable ground, underscoring the themes of love, forgiveness, and hope amid turmoil.

Last updated: November 17, 2024 at 13:11

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Timeline questions answered

Fall Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Fall (2017): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Dan's harness break during the rock climbing accident?

Dan lost his grip after being frightened by a bat, causing him to fall. His harness then broke during the fall, resulting in his fatal plummet to the ground. The combination of the sudden fright and equipment failure made the fall unavoidable.

  • dan
  • harness
  • bat
  • fall
  • rock climbing
  • death
Q2

Why did Becky agree to climb the TV tower after Dan's death?

Becky was struggling with grief and alcoholism nearly a year after Dan's death. Hunter called her with the proposal as a way to help her confront her fear of living after losing Dan. A nightmare about Dan, where he told her "don't be afraid to live," convinced her to accept the challenge as a way to honor his memory and push herself to keep living.

  • becky
  • hunter
  • tower climb
  • grief
  • dan death
Q3

What did Dan's message "don't be afraid to live" mean in Becky's dream?

In Becky's nightmare, Dan appeared to deliver this message, urging her to continue living rather than simply surviving in her grief. The message encouraged Becky to take risks and embrace life, which ultimately motivated her to accept Hunter's challenge and attempt the tower climb.

  • dan
  • nightmare
  • message
  • becky
  • don't be afraid to live
Q4

What was the revelation about Hunter's tattoo and her connection to Dan?

During their stranded ordeal, Becky discovered Hunter had a tattoo on her foot that connected her to Dan. This revealed that Hunter and Dan had a prior romantic relationship or history, which Becky was unaware of. The discovery created tension between them, as Becky learned Hunter had kept this secret while becoming close to her after Dan's death.

  • hunter
  • tattoo
  • dan
  • secret
  • revelation
  • relationship
Q5

How did Becky survive after getting stranded on the TV tower?

After Hunter died, Becky was left alone on the tower with dwindling supplies. She used creative survival tactics including a flare gun, drone signals, and ultimately fashioned a way to draw attention to their location. Her father James arrived at the scene, and she was found on stable ground, surviving the ordeal despite immense suffering.

  • becky survival
  • rescue
  • james
  • tower
  • alone
Q6

Why was Becky estranged from her father James after Dan's death?

Becky had withdrawn from everyone, including her father James, while coping with her grief and alcoholism. James had made insinuations about Dan's true nature, suggesting he knew something about Dan that Becky didn't want to confront. This, combined with her general emotional withdrawal, caused the estrangement.

  • becky
  • james
  • father
  • estranged
  • dan
  • relationship
Q7

How did Hunter die on the TV tower?

During their descent, equipment failures and accidents occurred that led to Hunter's death. The exact circumstances involved broken rungs, falls, and injuries sustained while attempting to survive and descend. Hunter's death occurred before Becky could be rescued, leaving her alone on the tower.

  • hunter
  • death
  • tower
  • accident
  • descent
  • fall
Q8

What was the significance of the vulture and coyote imagery in the movie?

Early in their journey, Becky and Hunter encounter a coyote carcass being devoured by vultures. This ominous sight foreshadows the deadly nature of their undertaking and serves as a visual metaphor for death and the cycle of decay. Later, Becky directly confronts a vulture while stranded, symbolizing her struggle against despair and her fight to survive.

  • vulture
  • coyote
  • foreshadowing
  • death
  • symbolism
  • warning
Q9

Why did Becky use Hunter's body to signal for help?

Desperate and running out of options, Becky made the heartbreaking decision to use Hunter's body along with their remaining flare to create a signal large enough to be spotted from a distance. This desperate measure was her final attempt at survival after all other options had failed.

  • becky
  • hunter
  • body
  • sacrifice
  • signal
  • survival
  • desperation
Q10

Why did the bat frighten Dan enough to make him lose his grip?

During their rock climbing expedition, a bat suddenly appeared and frightened Dan, causing him to lose his grip on the rock face. This unexpected encounter in the middle of their climb led to his fatal fall when his harness subsequently broke.

  • bat
  • dan
  • fright
  • fall
  • rock climbing
  • accident

Movie threads

More Movies Like Fall, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Fall tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Tense survival ordeals like in Fall

Stories where characters fight for their lives while grappling with internal trauma. If you liked the high-altitude peril and emotional trauma in Fall, explore these movies about desperate survival. This thread features movies like Fall where characters battle extreme physical danger while also confronting heavy internal struggles like grief and betrayal, creating a nerve-shredding and cathartic viewing experience.

  • gripping
  • desperate
  • anxious
  • cathartic
  • claustrophobic
  • nerve-shredding
  • Tone: tense, desperate
  • Pacing: variable, building to fast-paced
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives usually follow a linear, straightforward path where an initial stable situation is shattered by a catastrophic event or a dangerous environment. The plot revolves around the immediate, practical steps of survival, which are continuously compounded by flashbacks, secrets, or emotional conflicts that the characters must resolve internally to endure physically.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here because they share a potent mix of relentless physical danger and profound emotional weight. The suspense comes not just from 'will they survive?' but from 'how will they survive with their sanity intact?' The intense, tense tone and variable pacing that builds to a desperate climax create a coherent, draining, yet compelling experience.

Moral reckoning stories like in Fall

Characters confront past mistakes in a journey towards a complicated peace. For viewers who appreciated Fall's themes of confronting a troubled past and seeking redemption, this thread collects movies with similar moral journeys. Discover films like Fall where a character's peace is shattered by a resurfaced secret, leading to a tense and bittersweet exploration of guilt, judgment, and the possibility of forgiveness.

  • somber
  • cathartic
  • anxious
  • gripping
  • thought-provoking
  • emotional
  • Tone: tense, somber
  • Pacing: variable, introspective
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern typically begins with a character living a stable but fragile life, which is disrupted by the re-emergence of a buried secret or a past misdeed. The majority of the story is an internal and external struggle to face the truth, make amends, and seek forgiveness. The arc concludes not with a simple happy ending, but with a nuanced resolution that acknowledges the pain caused while allowing for a measure of personal growth or closure.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared focus on a heavy emotional core centered on guilt and the quest for redemption. They possess a tense, somber tone as characters grapple with their own fallibility. The pacing is often variable, moving from a slow, uneasy buildup to a more intense confrontation, ultimately leading to a bittersweet ending that feels earned rather than tidy.

Every angle

Fall (2017) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Fall in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning, the ending explained and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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