Anatomy of a Fall, 2023.
Directed by Justine Triet.
Starring: Sandra Hüller, Swann Arlaud, Milo Machado-Graner, Antoine Reinartz, and Samuel Theis.
SYNOPSIS:
A woman is suspected of her husband’s murder, and their blind son faces a moral dilemma as the sole witness.
Justine Triet’s courtroom drama Anatomy of a Fall begins with a sense of awkwardness and abrasiveness. Sandra Hüller’s Sandra is a successful author being interviewed by Zoé (Camille Rutherford), a student, with the interview constantly interrupted by incredibly loud music from Sandra’s husband Samuel (Samuel Theis), causing it to be far more tense than expected. This sets the audience up for a sense of friction between Sandra and her husband. Not long after he is found dead, falling from a height with the main witness Daniel, their 11-year-old partially sighted son. Did he commit suicide, was it an accident, or did Sandra kill him? These are questions Triet asks of the audience throughout across the course of 152 minutes.
The French Alps setting, adds a sense of chilliness to proceedings but also makes the events clear with Samuel’s blood spread over the snowy ground, impossible to miss. This helps to emphasise events and gives both the defence and prosecution more evidence to support their claims about how Samuel’s body fell and the blood spattered.
Daniel’s lack of sight causes problems for all sides with him being the main witness of events and the lead up to them – did he hear an argument from one position in the house or another? It is cleverly staged by Triet with the audience sympathising with Sandra and keeping Samuel on the fringes of the story, showing how the pair’s relationship had eroded over the course of time. Were these natural fights or a glimpse at a murderous side?
Hüller is simply extraordinary, acting in both English and French, neither of which is her native tongue. She commands the screen, a fierce portrayal of a defiant mother, determined to stay with her son and prove her innocence. We feel her frustrations with her life and her husband especially. It is without doubt one of the year’s best performances and so much of the film’s stakes and structure relies on her. It seems probable she will feature heavily come awards season. As with the rest of the film, her reserved nature is what lends the performance so much power, contrasted with the more emotional nature of the prosecution.
Anatomy of a Fall is a remarkable film, worthy of its Palme d’Or win at Cannes and in the running for numerous accolades. It is sharply written and directed by Justine Triet and earns its 2 hrs 30 runtime. It keeps the audience guessing throughout, offering plenty to chew on and think about, to warrant rewatches. The Alps setting makes it feel grand yet still intimate with so much of the focus on the relationship between Sandra and Daniel.
For all of its slow pace and restraint, Anatomy of a Fall remains a singularly ambitious film that is one of the strongest courtroom dramas in recent memory, and so much more besides that.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Chris Connor
