Anatomy of a Fall
Starring: Sandra Hüller, Milo Machado Graner, Swann Arlaud
Directed By: Justine Triet
Rated: R
A chilly day in the Alps. An interview unfinished. A song blasts on repeat. A young boy takes his dog on a walk. These are the events that take place just before Sandra Voyter’s (Sandra Huller) husband is found dead in Anatomy of a Fall. These pieces of the timeline float around like an unfinished puzzle that’s impossible to solve. What happened to Samuel?
Anatomy of a Fall begins with the mysterious death of Samuel. As the viewer, we don’t know if he committed suicide, accidentally fell to his death, or a more sinister option…he was murdered by his wife Sandra. The film plays with the audience’s perception of Sandra and her marriage. What do we know of these people? Was Sandra capable of murder? With each passing scene our opinions change.
This film took home the prestigious Palm D’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and deservedly so. The enthralling French drama challenges the viewer. It’s like Gone Girl meets Marriage Story, a courtroom drama that unfolds with the perfect level of suspense. The courtroom sequences showcase an absurd lack of justice in the French court room and some misogyny at play. Even with those aspects on display, I went back and forth on my opinions of Sandra’s guilt or innocence.
Ultimately, director Justine Triet crafts a film that excels on so many levels. She keeps just enough information from the viewer where we are left with a tension that can’t be ignored until the final moments.
The title can be interpreted in a literal sense for what happened to Samuel but also metaphorical for the breakdown of Sandra and Samuel’s marriage and Sandra’s fall from public perception.
Sandra Hüller is excellent in the lead role. She plays Sandra in such a layered manner so we can’t tell if she’s innocent or guilty until specific scenes unfold. It’s a performance that sticks with you. We analyze every tiny decision she makes and put her under the microscope. Why would Sandra say this specific line? Is it because she’s guilty? Well, she can’t be guilty because a guilty woman wouldn’t act this way around her son. The film wouldn’t succeed as it does without Hüller’s performance and I wouldn’t be surprised if she got awards recognition in the upcoming months.
Milo Machado Graner gives a phenomenal performance as Sandra’s blind son, Daniel. This is one of the best child performances I’ve seen in a long time. He’s caught between his own perception of the parents who raised him and the nasty details he hears in the courtroom. As the trial goes on, he is unsure what he believes about his family. Daniel’s behavior takes a haunting turn in the third act with a decision that could impact the fate of his family.
I could not stop thinking about this film long after leaving the theater. Anatomy of a Fall is a brilliantly crafted courtroom drama delving into themes of perception, familial breakdown, and the tabloidization of true crime.
My Rating: 9/10