Falling review – Jack Thorne’s religious romance is a god-awful mess
Falling review – Jack Thorne’s religious romance is a god-awful mess
The arrival of Falling on Channel 4 was met with a mixture of high-stakes anticipation and curiosity. As the first foray into televised romantic drama for Jack Thorne, the acclaimed writer behind hits like Adolescence and the This Is England trilogy, many expected a profound exploration of human connection. However, the resulting six-part series, starring Keeley Hawes and Paapa Essiedu, has polarized audiences and critics alike. While some find the slow-burn tension of a nun and a priest falling in love to be a beguiling piece of art, others argue that the execution suffers from a lack of authenticity and a narrative that feels like a god-awful mess of clichés and stilted interactions.
Falling is a Channel 4 romantic drama written by Jack Thorne that explores the forbidden love between Anna, a cloistered nun, and David, a Catholic priest. Critics who find it a mess point to the inauthentic dialogue and the rapid abandonment of lifelong religious vows as key weaknesses. Conversely, supporters praise the powerhouse performances of Keeley Hawes and Paapa Essiedu, the representation of the deaf community through British Sign Language, and the rare focus on midlife romance. The series is currently available to stream on Channel 4 and has sparked intense debate regarding its portrayal of faith versus desire.
The Premise: A Forbidden Connection in Bristol
The story of Falling centers on two individuals who have dedicated their lives to the service of God, only to find their foundations shaken by a chance encounter. Keeley Hawes portrays Anna, a spirited nun who has spent two decades within the sheltered walls of a pastoral nunnery. Her days are filled with the rhythmic devotion of prayer and the tending of the convent’s vegetable garden. On the other side of the spiritual coin is Paapa Essiedu’s David, a dynamic young Catholic priest navigating the gritty, restless urban environment of Bristol. David is a community champion, campaigning for needle exchanges and basketball courts, working on the front lines of poverty and social struggle.
When David visits the nunnery to discuss community outreach, a seismic shift occurs. The series attempts to capture the "thunderbolt" moment of love at first sight, inspired by Jack Thorne’s own experience of meeting his wife. However, the transition from dedicated religious service to a world-altering romance is where the narrative begins to fray for many viewers. The "mess" cited by detractors often stems from how quickly the years of devotion seem to evaporate in the face of a few shared glances over boxes of vegetables and a brief accidental touch in a kitchen. While the show aims for a spiritual, timeless atmosphere, the leap from prayer to passion feels, to some, like a narrative shortcut that undermines the characters' established history.
Casting Brilliance: Keeley Hawes and Paapa Essiedu
Despite the criticisms of the script's pacing or dialogue, there is a near-universal consensus that the lead actors deliver performances far superior to the material provided. Keeley Hawes, a veteran of British television, brings a steadfast purity to the role of Anna. She manages to convey a deep, rooted faith while simultaneously portraying a confusing emotional awakening. Hawes plays Anna with an almost childlike innocence as she steps out of the nunnery, a choice that has been interpreted as either a brilliant character study of a sheltered woman or an infantilization of a middle-aged adult.
Paapa Essiedu, known for his work in Black Mirror and I May Destroy You, brings a quiet intensity to Father David. He carries the weight of a troubled past and a career that hasn't gone according to plan, making him a complex figure who defies easy categorization. His chemistry with Hawes is the engine that drives the show, even when the dialogue turns toward metaphors about bees, wasps, and cabbages. Essiedu’s portrayal of a "hot priest" is inevitably compared to Andrew Scott’s iconic turn in Fleabag, though Thorne’s version is far more somber and grounded in social advocacy. The actors’ ability to breathe life into these roles is often the only thing keeping the series from descending into pure melodrama.
Jack Thorne’s Creative Departure from Social Realism
Jack Thorne is a writer synonymous with "state-of-the-nation" pieces. His work typically tackles heavy subjects such as disability rights, the pandemic, and misogyny. With Falling, he consciously stepped away from the gritty realism of his past projects to explore the world of romantic melodrama. This shift was inspired by a real-life news article about a nun and a priest who fell in love, which Thorne used as a "jumping-off point" for a fictional narrative.
This departure has been a source of contention. Some critics feel that Thorne is "out of his comfort zone" when writing about pure emotion and romance, leading to dialogue that feels inauthentic. For instance, the infamous "cabbage" scene, where David asks to see Anna's crops and she responds with a flirtatious joke about getting her drunk, has been highlighted as an example of writing that doesn't sound like how adults actually speak. On the other hand, Thorne’s supporters argue that he is purposefully playing with the conventions of melodrama, using domestic simplicity—like conversations about cauliflowers or scrambled eggs—to mask the extraordinary emotional stakes underneath.
Dialogue and Authenticity: Where the Romance Falters
The primary criticism leveled against Falling is that its dialogue frequently jars the viewer out of the experience. In a world where realism is the standard, the interactions between Anna and David can feel staged or overly poetic. Critics have pointed out that Anna, despite going to shops and food banks for years, behaves as though she has no understanding of secular society the moment she leaves the convent. This conflation of naivety with infantilism makes it difficult for some audience members to relate to her journey.
Furthermore, the central romantic conflict relies heavily on metaphors that feel "on-the-nose." The show uses imagery of bees landing on flowers or protecting vegetable patches from intruders to telegraph the characters' internal struggles. While these metaphors aim for a lyrical quality, they can come across as clumsy in a modern setting. When Anna burns her hand while cooking and David runs it under water, the "electricity" felt between them is meant to be the catalyst for her abandoning her life's work. To some, this is a beautiful, fragile moment; to others, it is an unconvincing and "god-awful" way to dismantle a character's lifelong commitment.
The Significance of Midlife Love in Modern Television
One aspect of Falling that has received significant praise is its focus on midlife romance. Keeley Hawes has been vocal about her desire to portray love stories involving characters in their 40s and 50s, noting that television often ignores this demographic in favor of younger couples. She described the show as a "Normal People for midlife," mining the complexities of starting over when half of one's life has already been lived.
The inclusion of themes like menopause within the context of a religious order adds a layer of realism that is rarely seen on screen. Anna’s struggle is not just spiritual; it is physical and psychological, rooted in a life stage that is often overlooked. By placing a middle-aged woman at the center of a "coming-of-age" story, Falling breaks traditional narrative molds. Even those who dislike the show's pacing acknowledge that the attempt to dignify midlife desire is a noble and necessary endeavor in the current media landscape.
To summarize the technical details of the production, the following table provides a quick look at the show’s structure and key figures:
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Creator / Writer | Jack Thorne |
| Lead Cast | Keeley Hawes and Paapa Essiedu |
| Format | Six-part Limited Series |
| Broadcaster | Channel 4 (UK) |
| Inspiration | Real-life story of a religious couple |
Breaking Vows: The Emotional and Spiritual Weight
The central question of Falling is what it truly means to break a vow made to God. This is an area where critics feel the show could have delved deeper. While the plot moves quickly toward Anna leaving the convent and moving in with a parishioner, the theological and psychological fallout of such a decision is often handled with "narrative efficiency" rather than depth. The process of deconsecration is mentioned, but the actual wrestling with guilt and shame is sometimes overshadowed by the romantic beats of the story.
However, the show does explore the concept of religion as a system that can simultaneously provide comfort and hold its members hostage to shame. David’s battle to instigate change within his community—facing opposition from a bishop who prefers underfloor heating over needle exchanges—highlights the friction between spiritual ideals and institutional reality. Anna and David are not just running toward each other; they are running away from the constraints of an institution that they both still deeply respect. This nuance provides a more complex backdrop than a simple "forbidden love" trope, even if the execution is occasionally messy.
Representation Matters: The Bond Between David and Susan
One of the most moving and universally acclaimed threads in Falling is the relationship between David and his sister Susan, played by deaf actor Sophie Stone. Their bond is a highlight of the series, showcasing a deep, unconditional love that exists outside of David’s religious life. Paapa Essiedu reportedly spent months learning British Sign Language (BSL) for the role, and the show treats BSL as a central form of communication rather than a secondary one.
The scenes between David and Susan allow for deep, raw emotions to be discussed in near silence, providing a stark contrast to the often clunky dialogue between the romantic leads. This representation is a hallmark of Jack Thorne’s ideology, as he has long campaigned for better disability representation on screen. In Falling, Stone’s performance is brilliant, bringing warmth and a needed groundedness to the story. Their relationship serves as a reminder that belief and connection take many shapes, and for some viewers, these familial moments are the true heart of the series.
Comparing 'Falling' to 'Fleabag' and 'Normal People'
Inevitably, Falling has been compared to other major romantic dramas. The "hot priest" archetype immediately brings Fleabag to mind, but where Fleabag used the priest as a mirror for the protagonist's growth and self-destruction, Falling attempts to make the priest’s own interior life a central pillar. The comparison to Normal People stems from the show's "slow-burn" pacing and its focus on intense, character-driven intimacy. However, Falling lacks the gritty, relatable modern edge that made Normal People a cultural phenomenon, opting instead for a tone that feels more like a classical melodrama from a bygone era.
The "mess" that critics describe often comes from this tonal mismatch. By trying to be a "unique and compelling" depiction of forbidden love while also functioning as a social commentary on Bristol’s urban struggles, the show can feel fragmented. It shifts from quiet, pastoral scenes in the nunnery to sharp, urban scenes of community activism, and finally to the emotional "thunderbolt" of the romance. For some, these layers create a rich, charming tapestry; for others, they are disjointed parts that never quite reconcile into a cohesive whole.
FAQ
Q: Is Falling based on a true story?
A: Yes, it was inspired by a real-life news article about a nun and a priest who fell in love, specifically believed to be the story of Sister Mary Elizabeth and a friar named Robert who met in Lancashire. However, the TV show is a fictionalized adaptation and serves as a jumping-off point rather than a direct biography.
Q: Where can I watch Falling?
A: Falling originally aired on Channel 4 in the UK. It is available to stream on the Channel 4 streaming service.
Q: Who stars in the lead roles?
A: The series stars Keeley Hawes as Sister Anna and Paapa Essiedu as Father David. The supporting cast includes Jason Watkins, Niamh Cusack, and Sophie Stone.
Q: How many episodes are in the series?
A: Falling is a six-part limited series, with each episode focusing on the developing relationship and the characters' struggles with their faith and community.
Q: Why is the show called a "god-awful mess" by some?
A: Critics have used this term to describe the inauthentic dialogue, the rapid abandonment of religious vows which feels unconvincing to some, and a tonal inconsistency between the social realism and the romantic melodrama.
Conclusion
Falling is a drama that resists easy classification, much like the characters it portrays. Whether it is a "god-awful mess" or a "thing of beauty" depends largely on a viewer’s tolerance for melodrama and their willingness to accept Jack Thorne’s heightened, emotional dialogue. The series succeeds in bringing a rare midlife love story to the screen and provides a platform for exceptional performances and meaningful representation of the deaf community. However, its struggles with narrative authenticity and its rapid-fire dismantling of lifelong faith commitments leave it vulnerable to significant criticism. In the end, Falling serves as a reminder that love is indeed the most relatable thing of all, even when the path it takes is as complicated and messy as it is here.
Falling review – Jack Thorne’s religious romance is a god-awful mess
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