Editor’s Note: This review will contain spoilers and content about the topic of a school shooting which can be triggering to many, so read with caution or go watch the film and come back later.

“The Fallout” is a film written and directed by Megan Park and was released earlier this year on HBO Max. This film is Park’s directorial debut and stars up-and-coming actors Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler and Niles Fitch.

The film centers around the aftermath of a school shooting and how everyone processes grief and trauma. It’s a film that will hit home for a lot of Gen Z in terms of slang, TikTok dances, relationships and, unfortunately, school shootings.

The shooting happens in the first 10 minutes of the film and lasts for a few minutes. We see Vada, Quinton and Mia, played by Ortega, Fitch and Ziegler,  hiding in a bathroom stall together, crying as shots are being fired in the hallway.

You see the fear and pain cross their faces as they are realizing what’s happening. The gunshots and screams are so clear that you may have to pause and take a step away because your heart starts beating so fast that you feel like it’s happening to you. 

This film really tackles the ways people deal with a tragic event, whether they spring up into action or ponder why it was them who survived and others who didn’t. 

Nick, played by Will Ropp, is the “face” of the campaign after the shooting as he is the one who gets into contact with Everytown for Gun Safety and starts interviewing with news stations. Meanwhile, Vada, Mia and Quinton are processing it privately.

There’s even a scene where Nick gets mad at Vada for not caring enough about the message he is trying to spread, but to which she tells him that it’s not fair to tell her how to grieve. Nick believes he is doing the right thing by speaking up and wanting to make a change, but Vada also is right in choosing to pull away a bit so she can come to terms with what happened at her own pace. 

Vada’s little sister Amelia, played by Lumi Pollack, displays the innocence that can come from indirectly experiencing a tragic event. Amelia wants to be there for her sister but doesn’t know how or why her sister is mad at her. 

Amelia tries to apologize to Vada for almost getting her killed since Vada was on the phone with her in the hallway minutes before the shooting began because she thought Vada was taking her anger out on her. This scene is so important because it displays how tragic events hurt and affect everyone involved whether that is directly or indirectly. 

The music was mostly done by Finneas O’Connell with an original song by Lennon and Maisy Stella titled “While You Sleep.” While the score is beautiful, it’s not memorable. It feels like it was used as filler music so the film wouldn’t be completely quiet. Most of the songs are piano ballads and feel light and airy which fits right in with how the film was shot.

The film was shot beautifully and is so raw because you could hear everything from the birds chirping to the water splashing, and it felt like you were there experiencing it with them. Jenna Ortega and Maddie Ziegler truly shined in this film as they showed how people can come together during unfortunate circumstances.

“The Fallout” fully embodies that there is no right way to process trauma and why we shouldn’t criticize others for how they cope.