Find Me Falling

Synopsis:  Former rock star retires to Cyprus and finds love. (Streaming on Netflix)

<<Trigger Warning: Scenes of suicidal individual/s at a cliff >>

John Allman is an over-the-hill rock star. True to form, he sports longish tangled hair and plenty of ink. He’s had it with the industry, having recently released a comeback album which flopped. Hard to be under the radar in LA, so he buys a cottage in Cyprus and relocates. Peeved about his stalled career, he doesn’t even tell his manager where he’s gone. The aged rocker doesn’t have any attachments to speak of: no kids, no wife or girlfriend.

Most movies whose stories feature a famous musician feature an actor, not a successful singer. Afterall, even showbusiness isn’t full of people who are as talented or famous in acting as in singing. (If they are super talented in singing and acting, they usually stay relegated to Broadway.) Although I try to ignore the thought, I watch the rest of the movie knowing that the person who is supposed to be a huge music star actually has zero music fans.  

Fortunately, the unflashy rom-com Find Me Falling, features a man who has bona fides in his music and acting career: Harry Connick Jr. He established himself as a jazz pianist, composer and singer. In fact, he wrote two songs for the movie: “Girl on the Beach” and “Find Me Falling.” The first song struck me as ‘meh,’ but I was pleasantly surprised that the latter was quite good.

HCJr is fetching, so he provides a nice thirst-worthy older guy. At times, he weirdly struck me as a cleaned up, cuter Dave Grohl. Unlike the actual Foo Fighter, HCJr’s  former rock star character is humorless. At least early on in the movie.

The former rock star bought a small house that has a great view of the sea. It can’t not have a great sea view, because it’s perched only a few car lengths from the edge of a cliff. Only a bird would be safe here.

I wondered why HCJr chose to live in Cyprus. I think it’s pretty evident: it made a nice 6-week workplace destination. As for his character? Well, he may or may not have had a fling with a Cypriot at the beginning of his music career. Netflix adverts let me know ahead of time that this is a straight romance, so you know to keep your eyes open for a 40-something woman.

I actually have to give the filmmakers credit for offering up an age-appropriate romance. Well, I guess a new slew of rom-coms are matching up younger men & older women. Making up for past decades of older men and younger women match-ups. Anyway…

On HCJr’s first night there, his sad sack musings are interrupted by a woman standing at the edge of the cliff. Like the spoiled guy he seems to be, instead of calling out something like Are you okay? he bitches at them about being on private property. This guy clearly needs to get his priorities straight.

It turns out that HCJr has not chosen a peaceful place to rest and recreate. A local police officer, Captain Manoli (Tony Demetriou), informs him that the cliff in front of his house is somewhat of a suicide hotspot. HCJr appears confused and a little irritated. He demands to know if there are therapy clinics on the island. The cops shrugs and says: Who needs therapy when you have Nature? Okay, so no mental health crisis intervention training for law enforcement. At least in the movie. It made me wonder about Cyprus…

The movie seems to have been funded by the Cyprus Tourist Board. The sunny island, with its gorgeous beaches and hilly terrain, beckons. We’re even treated to displays of Cypriot food. And we drop in on a Greek Orthodox Church service. Or is it a Cypriot Orthodox Church?

It got me wondering if Cyprus is part of Greece (no). Do Cypriots consider themselves Greek? According to a video in which Cypriots are interviewed, most identify as Cypriot or Greek Cypriot. There are Turkish Cypriots too. Find Me Falling filmed in Cyprus, not North Cyprus, which is officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Cyprus wants Turkey to leave.

HCJr gets into the spirit of his new home by getting a Greek-English dictionary and downing shots of ouzo– or some Cypriot liquor. He also begins to take a concern in trying to stop suicides at the cliff in front of his place. After getting materials, he sets to constructing a fence. But it’s nighttime and he’s drunk. So, yeah, not much of a barrier.

We also get some fun touristy stuff, with HCJr headed to a nearby pristine beach for some skinny dipping. Cue the arrival of a dozen beachgoers. He has to decide between risking a sunburn and emerging au naturel. Methinks a Los Angeleno would know that Europeans aren’t going to blink an eye at a nude swimmer. Then again, someone in town did identify him as ‘someone who used to be famous.’ But the paparazzi are probably going after bigger fish, so to speak, like footballers yachting off Ibiza.

HCJr starts frequenting the local taverna where the cop drinks. There is a young singer, Melina (Ali Fumiko Whitney) who serenades the patrons with traditional folk songs. Our anti-hero, who’s lost his enthusiasm for music sees potential in her.

The taverna is really the place to be; HCJr meets an attractive woman his age, Sia (Agni Scott) who is the local doctor. It turns out she once had to decide whether to stay among her Cypriot kin and kith or go abroad. Sparks fly, but then there is miscommunication. It wouldn’t be a rom-com without hurt feelings that result in curt convos heavy on sarcasm.

So, what about what happened twenty years ago? Will HCJr find a new love or re-discover his former lover? Will he fall in love with music again? Will he give up ciggies?

I figure he was headed in the right hero-ward direction when he starts strumming his guitar again and keeps an eye out for people in the throes of a mental health crisis. Unfortunately, he attempts to counsel people in English. Maybe the Greek folk songs he’s started to learn will have some helpful phrases like this one translated from Greek “Frankosyriani”: Everything is really great, And at the bishopric, everything is romantic.

Find Me Falling will have you googling Harry Connick Jr’s versatile career — three Grammy wins, Dr Clay Haskett on Dolphin Tale, Daddy Warbucks in Annie Live!  

Or, you might find yourself looking into booking a vacay to Cyprus. Just remember, you won’t be flying into Athens, that’s in Greece! And Cyprus is its own island.

P.S.  See Cypriots talk about their national identity

Movie Loon Movie Review Shortcut:

Grade:  C

Cut to the Chase: Not a great rom-com, but a pleasant enough way to spend an hour & a half.

Humor Highlight:  The main character’s confusion over what food a person might buy at a grocery. The clerk takes over and just chooses his food for delivery.