Anatomy of a Fall

When young "Daniel" (Milo Machado Graner) returns from a walk in the snow with his dog ("Snoop") he discovers the body of his father lying on the snow in front of their alpine house. He shouts for his mother, writer "Sandra" (Sandra Hüller) and soon the police investigation is out to establish just what happened. What do we know? Well, not a lot really - just that before the young man left for his stroll, his mother was giving an interview in their kitchen to a journalist that was being increasingly drowned out by the intrusive music emanating from her husband upstairs, and - that young "Daniel" is blind. "Sandra" enlists the help of a friend who represents her as after many a re-enactment the authorities conclude that there is enough evidence that she lobbed him over the balcony and murdered him. A curiously relaxed courtroom drama now ensues. Those of us used to watching British or American scenarios like this might find the approach, usually entirely speculative, taken by prosecuting counsel to essentially draw his own conclusion from evidence that may or not be there is quite entertaining to watch. The President of the tribunal rarely intercedes in what becomes a frequently unsubstantiated analysis of the sometimes turbulent marriage of the two, we learn of the cause of the boy's blindness, of his mother's sexuality and by the denouement I felt that Justine Triet had worked well with a strong cast to create a whodunit where there might have been no crime at all! That denouement is a little rushed, but leaves a lovely degree of doubt in the mind of the one member of the cast who probably needed convincing the most! It's just a shade too long, a wee bit too much build up, but once it's in full swing this is a strongly performed, sometimes quite funny and dark crime drama that is well worth a watch.

It’s always disappointing when a film aspires to greatness that it never achieves. Such is the case with the latest offering from French writer-director Justine Triet, whose allegedly suspenseful thriller is about as appetizing as a plate of tepid leftovers. This crime investigation/courtroom drama about the mysterious death of a middle-aged unsuccessful writer (Samuel Theis) who falls from the second story of his mountain chalet looks into whether his demise is due to suicide or murder, with his wife (Sandra Hüller), herself a best-selling author, being the prime suspect. Despite an intriguing premise, however, the movie is overlong, needlessly talky and inherently flat, with a cold, clinical, unengaging narrative and characters who engender no connection, compassion or empathy. In essence, this is a “whodunnit” that plays like an extended “whocares.” Fault the screenplay here, which seeks to tell a tale in the same gripping vein as such great courtroom dramas as “Anatomy of a Murder” (1959) but that never achieves the level of tension, mystery and audience engagement needed to pull that off. The meticulously orchestrated script feels calculated and derivative virtually from start to finish, especially in its trial sequences, which explore an array of possible motives and explanations, including everything from infidelity to plagiarism to previous suicide attempts, that rely on often-implausible speculation and inflated conjecture to carry forward a proceeding that probably never should have ended up in court in the first place. What’s more, the double entendre that is the picture’s title is so obvious that any hopes of nuance, subtlety or profundity evaporate quickly once the failing nature of the couple’s troubled relationship surfaces. While the film admittedly features a fine performance by Hüller, it’s far from enough to rescue a picture with big aspirations that never pan out. How this release has garnered so much exaggerated awards season buzz is beyond me, especially given its intrinsically insipid, underwhelming, overstated character. There are plenty of other films of this ilk out there that are far more worth watching than this one, so grab one of those better selections instead and give this one the well-earned pass it genuinely deserves.

French movie with a drama / courtroom theme that is gripping more into it's realistic tone than others movies that create unexpected and unbelievable tones, directed by Justine Triet from a screenplay she co-wrote with Arthur Harari (Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle). Currently it is the winner of Canne's Palm D'or and nominated for five Academy awards, being those Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Achievement in Directing, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, Best Original Screenplay, Best Achievement in Film Editing. It tells the story of In an isolated mountain chalet near Grenoble, where the problematic couple French Samuel Maleski is playing music in his attic so loudly that interrupts an interview of his German wife, Sandra Voyter (played by Sandra Hüller), and son Daniel (partially blind), returns from a long walk with his guide dog Snoop to find Samuel dead below his attic window. From there and all the theories, criminal analysis and courtroom judicial processes guide the movie and gain the midia of the country. Do not expect CSI level invention on this one - it is logical and reasonable as a movie that analyses the crisis in the couple and the impact on the son with a heavy focus on the courtroom that gabs your attention. Sandra Hüller is the protagonist that leads with an incredible performance on her role. The direction is solid as well as the screenplay. The cinematography varies from formal takes to more active ones and the editing is perfect in joining all the takes. I usually found courtroom movies to be boring but this wasn't the case that holds your attention till the end even with the slow moving of events and investigations from the live of protagonists to the dispute of the lawyers. A strong contender for all the prizes but knowing the academy I am almost sure it will grab 2 to 3 prizes. From my point of view the movie is a 8,5 out of 10,0 / A. For sure one of the movies of 2023 that must be seen, so it gets a like from me too.