History Film / Fearless1993

Max Klein ([[Creator/JeffBridges Jeff Bridges]]) and his business partner are on a flight from San Francisco to Houston when the plane suffers a catastrophic hydraulic failure and crashes in a cornfield near Bakersfield, CA. Many passengers die in the fiery wreck, including an infant belonging to Carla Rodrigo (Rosie Perez). In the midst of the chaotic aftermath and rescue operation, Max calmly hails a cab and drives away, to be found a day later by FBI agents investigating his disappearance. They return him home to his wife, Laura (Isabella Rossellini) and son Jonah, who are overjoyed to learn that he survived.

* OutlivingOnesOffspring: Carla has lost her infant son in the crash, causing her to sink into a deep depression.

--> '''Max:''' Didn't you read the papers? Everybody who was with me lived.
--> '''Carla:''' So, what are you telling me? There's no god, but there's ''you?''

Intercut with flashbacks of the flight before and during the disaster, the story revolves around the relationship between Max and Carla after being introduced by psychiatrist Bill Pearlman (John Turturro). Carla, overwhelmed by guilt over the death of her baby, sees no point in living, while Max claims that the crash was the best thing that ever happened to him, though his deteriorating relationship with his family proves otherwise. Unable to relate to anyone else, Max and Carla form an odd friendship that might allow both of them to return to the realm of the living... as long as Max's explorations of his new-found fearlessness doesn't kill him first.

Max Klein ([[Creator/JeffBridges Jeff Bridges]]) and his business partner are on a flight from San Francisco to Houston when the plane suffers a catastrophic hydraulic failure and crashes in a cornfield near Bakersfield, CA. Many passengers die in the fiery wreck, including an infant belonging to Carla Rodrigo (Rosie Perez.) In the midst of the chaotic aftermath and rescue operation, Max calmly hails a cab and drives away, to be found a day later by FBI agents investigating his disappearance. They return him home to his wife, Laura (Isabella Rossalini) and son who are overjoyed to learn that he survived.

Intercut with flashbacks of the flight before and during the disaster, the story revolves around the relationship between Max and Carla after being introduced by psychiatrist Bill Pearlman (John Tuturro). Carla, overwhelmed by guilt over the death of her baby, sees no point in living, while Max claims that the crash was the best thing that ever happened to him, though his deteriorating relationship with his family proves otherwise. Unable to relate to anyone else, Max and Carla form an odd friendship that might allow both of them to return to the realm of the living... as long as Max's explorations of his new-found fearlessness doesn't kill him first.

* InfantImmortality: Averted with the death of Carla's baby as well as several other children shown to be on the plane during the flashbacks.

''Fearless'' is a 1993 film directed by Peter Weir, based on the novel by Rafael Yglesias. Told in flashback format, the story centers around a plane crash survivor who loses his fear of death during the disaster and becomes unable to relate to the living, including his own family, as a result.

* {{Flashback}}: A major part of the narrative. The film begins with the aftermath of the crash and as the story progresses, scenes on the plane before and during the accident bring a deeper understanding to why Max is acting the way he does. This style was imitated in the TV series ''Series/{{Lost}'', down to the audio cue of a roaring jet engine as a segue into the flashback as the character remembers.

* {{Flashback}}: A major part of the narrative. The film begins with the aftermath of the crash and as the story progresses, scenes on the plane before and during the accident bring a deeper understanding to why Max is acting the way he does. This style was imitated in the TV series [[Series/{{Lost}} Lost]], down to the audio cue of a roaring jet engine as a segue into the flashback as the character remembers.

Intercut with flashbacks of the flight before and during the disaster, the story revolves around the relationship between Max and Carla after being introduced by psychiatrist Bill Pearlman (John Tuturro). Carla, overwhelmed by guilt over the death of her baby, sees no point in living, while Max claims that the crash was the best thing that ever happened to him, though his deteriorating relationship with his family proves otherwise. Unable to relate to anyone else, Max and Carla form an odd friendship that might allow both of them to return to the realm of the living... as long as Max's explorations of his new-found fearlessness don't kill him first.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fearless_9746.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Some people are afraid of nothing.]]

''Fearless'' is a 1993 film directed by Peter Weir, based on the novel by Rafael Yglesias, unrelated to the 2006 Jet Li movie of the same name. Told in flashback format, the story centers around a plane crash survivor who loses his fear of death during the disaster and becomes unable to relate to the living, including his own family, as a result.

Fearless is a 1993 film directed by Peter Weir based on the novel by Rafael Yglesias, unrelated to the 2006 Jet Li movie of the same name. Told in flashback format, the story centers around a plane crash survivor who loses his fear of death during the disaster and becomes unable to relate to the living, including his own family, as a result.

* TrailersAlwaysLie: The trailer depicts an inspirational, life-affirming story of a man learning to live life to the fullest after surviving a catastrophe, complete with scenes of dancing and laughter set to U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name." In reality, the story is much darker in tone, focuses heavily on the grief of the survivors, and the protagonist [[DrivenToSuicide is definitely not a happy man.]]

* BlasphemousBoast: To god, after surviving the crash and what amounts to a suicide attempt by walking into traffic: "You can't do it! You want to kill me but you can't!"

--> Max: Didn't you read the papers? Everybody who was with me lived.
--> Carla: So, what are you telling me? There's no god, but there's ''you?''

* InfantImmortality: Averted hard with the death of Carla's baby as well as several other children shown to be on the plane during the flashbacks.

* WhamShot: The movie begins with Max leading a group of dirty, disheveled people through a hazy corn field in silence. They emerge onto a dirt road where a group of migrant workers are on their knees in prayer. The camera pans to show the giant tail section of the crashed airliner burning in the corn, with rescue workers running toward them.

* WhamShot: Laura Klein tries to find out what project Max is obsessed with in his home office. She assumes it's work related, but after Max [[spoiler: is admitted to the hospital after a car accident]] she sneaks into his office and goes through the drawings on his desk. [[spoiler: She flips through an endless series of drawings and paintings he's done of a dark tunnel leading to light, one after another. The camera lingers on her face as she realizes Max may actually want to die.]]

Intercut with flashbacks of the flight before and during the disaster, the story revolves around the relationship between Max and Carla after being introduced by psychiatrist Bill Pearlman (John Tuturro). Carla, overwhelmed by guilt over the death of her baby, sees no point in living, while Max claims that the crash was the best thing that ever happened to him, though his deteriorating relationship with his family proves otherwise. Unable to relate to anyone else, Max and Carla form an odd friendship that might allow both of them to return to the realm of the living.

Fearless is known for its harrowing depiction of the plane crash, notable because it is shown from the perspective of the passengers as the aircraft disintegrates around them.

* AmoralAttorney: Tom Hulce plays a lawyer who does everything he can to ensure that the plane crash victims get every dollar coming to them, so he can get every dollar coming to 'him.' He's not above coaching his clients to remember the worst details about the crash, or using a dead child to increase the settlement with the airline.

* WhamShot: Laura Klein tries to find out what project Max is obsessed with in his home office. She assumes it's work related, but after Max [[spoiler: is admitted to the hospital after a car accident]] she sneaks into his office and goes through the drawings on his desk. [[spoiler: She flips through an endless series of drawings and paintings he's done of a dark tunnel leading to light, one after another. The camera lingers on her face as she realizes Max may actually be trying to kill himself.]]

Max Klein (Jeff Bridges) and his business partner are on a flight from San Francisco to Houston when the plane suffers a catastrophic hydraulic failure and crashes in a cornfield near Bakersfield, CA. Many passengers die in the fiery wreck, including an infant belonging to Carla Rodrigo (Rosie Perez.) In the midst of the chaotic aftermath and rescue operation, Max calmly hails a cab and drives away, to be found a day later by FBI agents investigating his disappearance. They return him home to his wife, Laura (Isabella Rossalini) and son who are overjoyed to learn that he survived.

Fearless is known for its harrowing depiction of the plane crash, notable because it is shown completely from the perspective of the passengers as the aircraft disintegrates around them.

* DeadAllAlong: What Max believes himself to be, at first. He has to convince himself he's alive.

AmoralAttorney: Tom Hulce plays a lawyer who does everything he can to ensure that the plane crash victims get every dollar coming to them, so he can get every dollar coming to 'him.' He's not above coaching his clients to remember the worst details about the crash, or using a dead child to increase the settlement with the airline.

BlasphemousBoast: To god, after surviving the crash and what amounts to a suicide attempt by walking into traffic: "You can't do it! You want to kill me but you can't!"
* Later, when talking to Carla.

DeadAllAlong: What Max believes himself to be, at first. He has to convince himself he's alive.

DeathByFlashback: The only time Max's partner is ever seen, though the effect his death has on his family is shown.

{{Flashback}}: A major part of the narrative. The film begins with the aftermath of the crash and as the story progresses, scenes on the plane before and during the accident bring a deeper understanding to why Max is acting the way he does. This style was imitated in the TV series [[Series/{{Lost}} Lost]], down to the audio cue of a roaring jet engine as a segue into the flashback as the character remembers.

GoodSamaritan: Max is labeled as this by the press as well as other survivors for leading many of the passengers out of the flaming wreckage.

InfantImmortality: Averted hard with the death of Carla's baby as well as several other children shown to be on the plane during the flashbacks.

NearDeathExperience: What triggers Max's loss of fear. But it's not what he really thinks it is, or wants it to be.

ObiWanMoment: "This is it. This is the moment of your death."

SurvivorGuilt: Carla, in spades. Also, many of the passengers at Dr. Pearlman's group session.

TalkingToTheDead: A variant. Max takes Carla to a mall so they can go Christmas shopping. Carla, for her dead baby, and Max, for his dead father. They get into the spirit so much that other people only see a happy couple buying gifts for their loved ones.

WhamShot: Laura Klein tries to find out what project Max is obsessed with in his home office. She assumes it's work related, but after Max [[spoiler: is admitted to the hospital after a car accident]] she sneaks into his office and goes through the drawings on his desk. [[spoiler: She flips through an endless series of drawings and paintings he's done of a dark tunnel leading to light, one after another. The camera lingers on her face as she realizes Max may actually be trying to kill himself.]]

ZenSurvivor: What Max thinks he is, but really he's as lost and detached as Carla, but for different reasons.

WhamShot: Laura Klein tries to find out what project Max is putting so much time into in his home office. She assumes it's work related, but after Max [[spoiler: is admitted to the hospital after a car accident]] she sneaks into his office and goes through the drawings on his desk. [[She flips through an endless series of drawings and paintings of a dark tunnel leading to light. The camera lingers on her face as she realizes Max is trying to kill himself.]]

Max Klein (Jeff Bridges) and his business partner are on a flight from San Francisco to Houston when the plane suffers a catastrophic hydraulic failure and crashes in a cornfield near Bakersfield. Many passengers die in the fiery wreck, including an infant belonging to Carla Rodrigo (Rosie Perez.) In the midst of the chaotic aftermath and rescue operation, Max calmly hails a cab and drives away, to be found a day later by FBI agents investigating his disappearance. They return him home to his wife, Laura (Isabella Rossalini) and son who are overjoyed to learn that he survived.

TalkingToTheDead: A variant. Max takes Carla to a mall so they can go Christmas shopping. Carla, for her dead baby, and Max, for his dead father. They get into the spirit so well that other people only see a happy couple buying gifts for their loved ones.

Max Klein (Jeff Bridges) and his business partner are on a flight from San Francisco to Houston when the plane suffers a catastrophic hydraulic failure and crashes in a cornfield near Bakersfield. Many passengers die in the fiery wreck, including an infant belonging to Carla Rodrigo (Rosie Perez.) In the midst of the chaotic aftermath and rescue operation, Max calmly hails a cab and drives away, found a day later by FBI agents investigating the crash. They return him home to his wife, Laura (Isabella Rossalini) and son who are overjoyed to learn that he survived.

[[AmoralAttorney]]: Tom Hulce plays a competent lawyer who does everything he can to ensure that the plane crash victims get every dollar coming to them, so he can get every dollar coming to 'him.'

Fearless is known for its harrowing depiction of the plane crash, notable because it is shown completely from the perspective of the passengers as the aircraft disintegrates around them.

Fearless is a 1993 film directed by Peter Weir based on the novel by Rafael Yglesias, unrelated to the 2006 Jet Li movie of the sane name. Told in flashback format, the story centers around a plane crash survivor who loses his fear of death during the disaster and becomes unable to relate to the living, including his own family, as a result.

Fearless is known for one of the most horrific depictions of a plane crash on film, most notable because it is shown from the perspective of the passengers as the aircraft disintegrates around them, as well as the use of