Title – Anatomy of a Fall (2023) 

Director – Justine Triet (Sibyl) 

Cast – Sandra Hüller, Milo Machado Graner, Swann Arlaud

Plot – After the death of her husband is ruled as suspicious, author and mother Sandra Voyter (Huller) must stand trial in a very public hearing that includes key statements and evidence provided by her visually impaired son Daniel (Machado Graner). 

“Money doesn’t make you happy, but it’s still better to cry in a car than in a subway”

Review by Eddie on 21/02/2024

A multiple award winning French drama that has recently nabbed itself 5 key Oscar nominations including in the categories of Best Picture and Best Director to go alongside its early 2023 Palme d’Or at last years Cannes Film Festival, Anatomy of a Fall seemingly fell from nowhere to become one of most talked about cinematic offerings of recent times and for good reason. 

A massive career changing effort from up and coming director Justine Triet who also co-wrote this epic two and a half hour dramatic feature with screenwriter Arthur Harari, Fall is a film uninterested in easy answers or playing things by the books as it delves into the aftermath of the seemingly suspicious death of mentally fragile teacher, father and husband Samuel Maleski (played by Samuel Theis) after he is found deceased after a fall from his multi-level chalet. 

Wasting little time getting the core of the story out of the way early on, Fall turns its attention to Samuel’s high-profile author wife Sandra Voyter and their young son Daniel as the two are forced to partake in a court case with Sandra front and centre as suspect number one and Daniel an important member in the proceedings as a key witness to both the event itself and the many instances prior between his mother and father with us the audience left as a fly on the wall to one of the most gripping courtroom dramas we’ve been gifted in years. 

Calling to mind the same type of intrigue and smarts found in the likes of genre classics such as 12 Angry Men and Anatomy of a Murder, Fall introduces the wider world to the bizarre French justice system but at all times thrives off a razor sharp script, brilliant lead performances from the Oscar nominated Sandra Hüller as the under the microscope Voyter, Milo Machado Graner as the conflicted and confused Daniel and scene-stealer Messi the border collie as family dog Scoop, performances that when combined with Triet’s focussed direction gifts us a film that is in all instances top of the class. 

A film that will linger long in the memory and cause many audience members to debate where they stand in the exploration of a crumbling marriage, a sad demise of a human life and the narratives people are willing to accept to keep on keeping on, Fall is very likely to see a Hollywood remake take a stab at recreating the gold found here in future years but whatever that ends up looking like its highly unlikely we will get such a fully rounded and layered end product as the one we get here. 

Final Say – 

An acting, writing and directional masterclass, Anatomy of a Fall may steer clear of big cinematic moments but it grips throughout with its thoughtful and complex narrative unravelling to create a unique cinematic offering that is deserving of its high regard. 

4 1/2 instrumental 50 Cent songs out of 5