New on Netflix On July 19, 2024, I find myself falling A fun romantic comedy that viewers may not realize is based on a true story. The film follows musician John Allman (Harry Connick Jr.), who ventures to a Mediterranean paradise after his new album flops. In Cyprus, John gets more than he bargained for when he learns that his new beachfront residence is a popular suicide destination.
If that wasn't worrying enough, one of John's exes showed up and made things even more complicated. Despite getting mixed reviews, I find myself falling The film is based in part on the story of an Australian man who became famous for preventing potential suicide victims. The incredible true story may not be faithfully adapted, but it is so incredibly inspiring and amazing that it deserves more attention.
What makes me fall into the trap?
Written and directed by Stellana Claris, I find myself falling A musical romantic comedy set on the modern-day Mediterranean island of Cyprus. The story centers on John Allman (Connick Jr.), a prominent rock star whose latest album has been a disastrous flop. To clear his head and mend his broken spirit, John heads to Cyprus to enjoy a life of quiet seclusion. Once John reached his picturesque villa along the cliffs, he saw a man screaming nearby and assumed it was a curious photographer. John was shocked when the man suddenly plunged off the cliff to his death..
When the local police arrive, they explain to John that his new property is a popular attraction for suicidal people. Despite being told that several people commit suicide at this hot spot each month, John is happy to stay because of the cheap rent and beautiful scenery. If things get too tense, John is given the phone number of the local police chief, Manoli (Tony Demetriou). A day later, a local woman named Melina (Ali Fumiko Whitney) drops by John's house to deliver groceries. Melina is singing at a bar in town and when she invites John to join her, he runs into his old flame Sia (Agne Scott).
As John and Sia rekindle their romance, the film deviates from the true story that inspired the global romantic comedy. The heartfelt effect returns when John sees a woman named Anna about to jump off a cliff and tries to convince her not to commit suicide.John discovers that the woman is pregnant and offers her a place to stay for the night. The next day, Ana reveals that Captain Manoli is the father of her child. The film ends with John and Sia renewing their love for each other while Melina embarks on a musical career. While the musical and romantic stories are mostly fabricated, John's suicide prevention efforts are inspired by a Good Samaritan from Australia named Don Ritchie.
Who inspired Finding Fall?
I find myself falling It takes real-life cues from Don Ritchie, an Australian who became famous for preventing people from committing suicide by jumping into the sea from great heights.Known locally as the “Angel of the Gap,” Ritchie is said to have saved as many as 160 lives before his death at the age of 86 in 2012. While John Allman saved at least two people from jumping off cliffs in Cyprus in the film, Ritchie saved lives in Sydney, Australia, where a trench called “The Gap” facing the Tasman Sea has claimed several lives.
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One of Ritchie's successful tactics was to calmly ask someone on the slopes, “Can I help in some way?” while offering a warm smile (according to The Independent). Ritchie's obituary also details his suicide prevention methods, adding:
“Most often the calm approach was successful, although sometimes he risked his life by physically restraining those most determined to make their final leap.”
Once Richie had successfully persuaded someone to come down from the ledge, he would routinely invite them into his home and offer them tea. One of the survivors Richie helped drew a picture of an angel and gave it to Richie with the inscription “An angel walks among usIn 2006, Ritchie was awarded the Order of Australia by the government for his charitable services.
In 2010, two years before his death, Ritchie spoke about his call to prevent suicide, saying: Associated Press“You can’t just sit there and watch them, you have to try to save them. It’s that simple” (via Hope For Tomorrow). According to the report, Ritchie advocated for “seven proven principles of suicide prevention” before his death in 2012. Without seeking the spotlight, Ritchie made a huge difference in the lives of hundreds of people.
Stellana Claris's thoughts on Don Ritchie
Although Don Ritchie is not mentioned by name in I find myself fallingWriter and director Stelana Cleris is well aware of his heroic story and incorporates his suicide prevention into the story. According to Cleris via the film's official press notes:
“A few years ago, I read an article about a kind man in Australia who lived near a notorious suicide spot. He ended up saving many lives by approaching strangers and, in a low voice, simply offering them a cup of tea. I thought to myself,
What if a misanthrope lived in a place like this? And this is how
I find myself falling
child
“.”
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Don Ritchie's heroism in saving people's lives partly inspired the plot of the story. I find myself fallingBut none of the characters in the Netflix original film, except for John, are based on real people. The romance between John and Sia has nothing to do with Don Ritchie's story, nor do the supporting characters and the Cyprus setting. The film takes Don's efforts to prevent suicide and uses them to save a misanthropic recluse who has fallen on hard times.
I find myself falling Available to stream on Netflix.
