The opening scene of Anatomy of a Fall creates a rare sense of disorientation that challenges the viewer’s perception of reality. I found myself questioning if I had arrived late, despite knowing I had been seated in the theater before the lights dimmed. Sandra, a writer portrayed by Sandra Hüller, is being interviewed by a graduate student in her home. However, the conversation is nearly impossible to follow due to the loud music playing throughout the house. Sandra and the graduate student try to ignore it but eventually realize it’s too disruptive, delaying the conversation until later.
Meanwhile, Sandra’s husband, Samuel, is working upstairs in the attic, playing music loudly. We don’t see him, and his motivation for this behavior is never explained. While Sandra may be annoyed, she does not show it, and the viewer primarily sympathizes with the graduate student, grateful to escape the tension-filled dynamic. As Anatomy of a Fall unfolds, it becomes clear that this opening scene’s purpose is not to confuse the audience, but rather to present them with a puzzle: an emotional mystery that culminates in Samuel’s shocking and seemingly inexplicable death.
This Palme d’Or-winning thriller, co-written by Justine Triet and Arthur Harari, takes on the qualities of a whodunit. After the unusual interview ends abruptly, Sandra and Samuel’s blind teenage son, Daniel, takes a walk through their French mountain town with his guide dog. When Daniel returns, he discovers his father’s lifeless body covered in snow. Samuel had fallen from the attic and suffered a fatal blow to the head. Sandra is swiftly arrested as the sole suspect, leading to a court case in which she fights to prove her innocence and uncover the truth behind her husband’s death.
Triet approaches the film not as a conventional true-crime story focused on forensics and police investigations, but as an emotional journey seeking to unravel the enigma presented in the opening scene. What could cause a once-loving partnership to deteriorate into such awkward hostility, and are these underlying resentments enough to explain a person’s death? Anatomy of a Fall combines elements of gripping courtroom dramas from the ’90s with an art-house intellectualism that transforms mundane conflicts into thrilling experiences.
The film’s greatest strength lies in Hüller’s captivating performance. Known for her leading role in the comedy Toni Erdmann, Hüller portrays Sandra as a mysterious figure while maintaining the audience’s sympathy. She is bewildered by her husband’s death and vehemently denies any involvement. However, it becomes evident that she harbors many hidden problems within their relationship, fearing they would further implicate her if exposed. As an accomplished author who effortlessly switches between German, French, and English during her intense interrogations, Sandra is a protagonist both easy to support and envision as integral to a dramatic twist.
Triet skillfully reveals details through flashbacks, taking advantage of France’s intricate legal system. The courtroom setting is reminiscent of a lively town hall, encouraging crossover conversations between defense attorneys, prosecutors, judges, and witnesses. Sarcasm is welcome, and grilling the defendant is practically encouraged. As an American viewer, this provides a fascinating glimpse into a different courtroom culture while serving as an excellent narrative device for delving into Sandra and Samuel’s marriage’s complex history and their individual connections with Daniel. All parties involved struggle to uncover the truth.
The film’s captivating core lies in that opening scene and the reliance on interpreting people’s emotional states to solve crimes. Sandra and Samuel’s marriage possesses specific details—both are writers, but Sandra’s success has bred resentment over time. They both bear guilt for their son’s blindness due to an accident but cope with it differently. Nonetheless, these pressures are relatable to anyone familiar with marital strife, parental stress, and work anxieties. Triet masterfully turns the audience’s sympathy into an intense worst-case scenario, placing these emotions on trial and heightening the excitement. It poses a simple yet intriguing question: What if a domestic drama collided with a courtroom thriller? Anatomy of a Fall delivers the stunning answer.
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