Anatomy of a Fall

Anatomy of a Fall

When her husband Samuel is mysteriously found dead in the snow below their secluded chalet, Sandra becomes the main suspect when the police begin to question whether he fell or was pushed.

  • Released:
  • Runtime: 151 minutes
  • Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
  • Stars: Swann Arlaud, Milo Machado-Graner, Jehnny Beth, Samuel Theis, Antoine Reinartz, Sandra Hüller, Saadia Bentaïeb, Camille Rutherford, Anne Rotger, Sophie Fillières, Arthur Harari, Pierre-François Garel
  • Director: Justine Triet
 Comments
  • davidpetrison - 3 July 2024
    A showcase of some believable, thorough performances.
    Sandra Hüller shines in Anatomy of a Fall, a nominee for Best Picture, as well in four other categories, at the 2024 Academy Awards. A mystery, not really of the 'who done it?,' variety, but one that asks the question, 'What happened here?'

    The central relationship is between Sandra Voyterr (Hüller) and her 11 year old son, Daniel (played by Milo Machado-Grunar). The two figure out what their relationship can be like after the sudden death of his father, who died of the seemingly accidental fall. Sandra becomes overtly scrutinized in her words and actions, as the best explanation is that she murdered her husband, and she winds up having to defend herself in trial.

    Hüller is almost too good in the role, playing Sandra with a thoroughly believable innocence before displaying a contradictory display of guilt. She makes some decisions, though handles them better than she maybe should. Is she really capable of committing such a badly thought out crime? I would think not, but that matters little. The movie is successful in making one believe that it is quite possible for an innocent person to be accused of murder in an accidental death case. The setting and backgrounds increase the intrigue of the story; Hüller plays a German who becomes exasperated as she has to speak in an alternating use of French and English. Every decision matters.

    It is surprising, little things that Director Justine Trier and her cast get right. As Sandra runs into more and more of a hopeless situation, Müller does her best to act cool and relatively self-assured, while conveying hints of cracks around the edges.

    I am a little hopeful when I say the legal system seems a little too persistent when it comes to throw up ing a possibly-as-innocent-as-she-seems mother of a young child in prison; but the is done convinced in fly enough that I am questioning the French legal system. Whether Miller is playing innocent or (unlikely, I believe) guilty,, Sandra has an assured confidence in the face of overwhelming adversity that is very admirable. I wish to be as fluid and unafraid as Sandra seems if I was to find myself in a similar situation.

    Good enough to justify its rather long (for the scope of the plot) running time.

    8/10.
  • pierre-258-643972 - 5 June 2024
    Anatomy of a bore
    I generally check the IMDB score before watching film, and as a general guide, I find that anything over a "7" is generally quite "watchable"...Wrong!!

    My wife and I watched this and we were both bewildered as to how this could have possibly scored 7.7.

    After watching it, I checked the reviews...so many 9 and 10 ratings...quite unbelievable!

    The story is about a guy who dies after falling from the balcony of his chalet in Grenoble in the French alps, and the ensuing court battle to establish if he jumped, was pushed or just fell. It digs into the relationships between the dead guy and his wife, and his kid (who is blind).

    I am no acting critic, but I did not see any outstanding acting. The kid that was supposed to be blind, was clearly reacting to optical cues.

    Considering that the venue was the French alps, the film could have been visually stunning, but was very dreary. The musical score was terrible, with the kid banging out really annoying notes on a piano. The film was in English and French, with English subtitles for the French parts.

    When will film makers learn that white subtitles on a white background are not readable?

    The reviewers applauded the film for being realistic and reflecting normal life, with our normal apprehensions, doubts and conflicts in relationships.

    I can't argue with them, but, to be honest, I do not go to a movie to see normal. I live with this every day.

    I go to a movie for entertainment...and I did not find a single thing entertaining about this film.