Anatomy of a Fall, 2023.
Directed by Justine Triet.
Starring Sandra Hüller, Swann Arlaud, Milo Machado-Graner, Antoine Reinartz, Saadia Bentaïeb, Jehnny Beth, Samuel Theis, Camille Rutherford, Anne Rotger, Sophie Fillières, Arthur Harari, Pierre-François Garel, and Savannah Rol.
SYNOPSIS:
A woman is suspected of her husband’s murder, and their blind son faces a moral dilemma as the sole witness.
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, Anatomy of a Fall wouldn’t exist.
Co-writer/director Justine Triet’s title, Anatomy of a Fall, has a double meaning. Of course, it refers to the investigation and re-enactments of the death of a husband, found lifeless after either being pushed or jumping from their remote, third-floor chalet into the snowy ground below, but also the unraveling of this family dynamic that had led to this point. Working alongside screenwriter and life partner Arthur Harari, the opening moments make clear that the mood of this household of three is off.
Anatomy of a Fall is about the dissection of the murder, but more compellingly about everything else learned on the path to the truth, which calls into question everything from gender dynamics on trial to defending the perception of oneself rather than the truth to the line between fictional novels grounded in semi-autobiography having any bearing in the courtroom, to a son discovering that with each new piece of evidence, he has to rethink everything he knows about his parents.
German novelist relocated to France Sandra Voyter (an astonishing Sandra Hüller, having the year of a lifetime between this and her ghoulish turn in The Zone of Interest) is introduced as the interviewee of a younger woman (Camille Rutherford), setting a relaxed and playful environment but more interested in learning about this interviewer, whether it be unintentional, for friendship, or an attempt at seduction. Nevertheless, whatever Sandra hopes to gain from the discussion is blown up by her husband Samuel (Samuel Theis) blasting an instrumental cover of 50 Cent’s P.I.M.P, of all songs. As they casually end the interview, the 11-year-old blind Daniel (a supremely impressive Milo Machado Graner) heads outside for a walk with the family dog Snoop, only to find his father Samuel dead outside upon his return, music still blaring.
Sandra contacts her close lawyer friend Vincent Renzi (Swann Arlaud) to prepare the defense that Samuel fell out the window and hit his head on the shed while falling, which turned his body in midair, allowing him to land in the spot he was found dead, also explaining the trajectory and locations of the blood splatter. The process involves utilizing crash dummies to prove that such a sequence of movements is possible. As such, one of the most intriguing elements is the meticulous detail that goes into analyzing the specifics of the death and likely scenarios.
Of course, the alternative is that Sandra struck Samuel with a blunt object, with him subsequently falling out the window to his death. During the initial investigation, a hidden audio recording from Samuel is uncovered, revealing a heated argument and further casting suspicion that his wife is capable of murder. Rather than give viewers the full extent of these details right away, Justine Triet’s direction smartly plays with narrative form, waiting until the courtroom drama section to reveal, in flashback form alongside the audio, what happened, but even then is aware of when to pull back and cut away to preserve the mystery, because ultimately, Anatomy of a Fall is about much more than the truth.
Headed up by a judge who, at times, seems to have it out for Sandra without reason and just because she is a woman, the insightful script explores the accident that blinded Daniel and who was to blame, which understandably began driving a wedge between the parents, Sandra’s arguably shady path to success as a writer at the expense of Samuel, alongside her husband’s depression and constant feelings of failure. Life was supposed to get better upon moving to the French Alps and renovating this home, but if anything, more challenges arose. Their love for Daniel also plays a crucial part in the courtroom speculating on what could have happened and coming to a verdict, with Sandra at one point beautifully expressing that she doesn’t see her son as handicapped but as a person who still has dreams, passions, and ambition, all of which seem to have been sucked away from Samuel over the years.
However, Sandra is far from saintly. There is assuredly a cold and unreadable aspect to Sandra Hüller’s brilliantly complex performance as a woman, whether she murdered her husband or began to feel suffocated, trapped, and unhappy from his failed attempt at building a happy paradise. They had different approaches to processing the trauma from Daniel’s accident and also had dissimilar relationships with him; Samuel volunteers as the boy’s tutor, claiming he has less free time with Sandra and can more freely pursue personal fulfillment. Furthermore, there is much to dig into regarding what Sandra wants from life, conveyed with vague precision to maintain her aura of uncertainty.
There is no more logical or potent way to conclude Anatomy of a Fall by shifting the perspective to Daniel for the third act, considering everything that comes to light for him about the fractured marriage while participating in the trial as a witness. A case could also be made that he deserves more focus all around. Even when making a twelfth-hour breakthrough, he is still unsure whether his mom is guilty. That elusiveness gives the story and characters layers to its suspenseful, hang-on-every-word life of comprehending how this family fell apart and the deeper themes manifested.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
