Falling Apart (2002)

One British woman in four experiences domestic violence at some stage in her life.

Falling Apart is a reality-based drama that charts the course of a marriage from its blissful beginning to its violent end. Clare meets Pete and finds him sexy, amusing and passionate. What she doesn’t know is that he has a problem with anger. Over the course of the film, Pete’s problem is revealed and Clare suffers the consequences.

This is the first television drama from award-winning documentary maker Brian Hill, who used hand-held digital video cameras to give a unique verité feel to the film. Hill encouraged the actors to improvise during action scenes and not to worry about where cameras were positioned. These sequences were then shot as if they were actuality.

First-time writer Anna Maloney based her hard-hitting screenplay on interviews with men and women who have directly experienced domestic abuse, giving Falling Apart a sharply focussed realism.

A Century Films production for Channel 4

1 x 60 minutes

CastClare - Hermione Norris Pete - Mark StrongJackie - Tamsin GreigRob - Daniel RyanClare's Mum - Polly AdamsSally - Mika SimmonsMichelle - Lynne PearsonRoger - Daryl AuklandMen's group - Frances Carrigan, Murray McArthur, Mark Heal, Dave Spinx and Andrew WhippSecond camera operatorMichael TimneySound recordistIan MaclaganDubbing mixerGeorge FoulghamComposerJulian Stewart LindsayDirector of photographyTony ColdwellEditorStuart BriggsLine producerJane NicholsonExecutive producersJudy CounihanLiz WarnerWritten byAnna MaloneyProducerKatie BailiffDirectorBrian Hill

Awards/Reviews

WINNERBest New Fiction Director, BAFTA


WINNERBest New Writer, BAFTA


"Based on real testimonies and filmed in a drama-documentary style, you get the banal dialogue and feeble justifications that usually come with [domestic violence] situations. Rather than detract from the drama’s power, this gives it an unmistakable ring of truth."The Guardian

"As disturbing an account of a modern marriage as I have ever endured on television … one of the best acted pieces I have seen all year."The Daily Mail

"Falling Apart’ is more of a case study than a drama, but that does not diminish its raw power or authenticity."The Times

"Both the dialogue and direction had the confidence to be understated, and there were stunning central performances from Mark Strong and Hermione Norris. ‘Falling Apart’ was extremely powerful."The Daily Telegraph

"This sparse but powerful film combines a real sense of menace without resorting to easy demonisation. Doubtless a few viewers will be squirming in their seats."The Sunday Telegraph