Anatomy of a Fall              5 stars

Last summer when I was in France, I saw many ads for Justine Triet’s movie Anatomy of a Fall (or Anatomie d’une Chute as the French say) so I was naturally very curious about it. The movie was shown at Cannes and won the Palme d’Or award, so it deserves some attention. The movie starts with Sandra Voyter (Sandra Hüller), a famous writer being interviewed by a student in a secluded chalet in the French Alps. After a few minutes the interview is interrupted by loud music being played that Sandra explains is from her husband who needs the music when he is writing. When it becomes impossible to carry on a conversation the interviewer leaves and we are left with a feeling that something is not quite right in this home. Shortly after, the couple’s sight impaired son, 11-year-old Daniel, returns from a walk in the woods to find the body of his father, Samuel outside the home, where it is apparent that he suffered a fatal fall from the attic window. The police start an investigation and Sandra obtains the help of a defense attorney in Vincent Renzi (Swann Arlaud) who gets Sandra’s version of what happened that day. Sandra is soon indicted for murder and we have a courtroom drama on our hands. While the movie is a murder mystery/thriller, it is also an analysis of a good marriage that has been falling apart for years. In this respect it is like Marriage Story, only as a possible murder. During the trial we learn that Samuel blamed himself for the accident that took Daniel’s sight at 4 years old, and that Sandra had one or more affairs during their once happy marriage. The couple moved to Samuel’s French hometown so he could better focus on his work, leaving London where Sandra was happy. Being a native German, she struggles in the new setting as she is less than fluent in French. More facts are revealed in the trial leading to more doubt about her story, until it is revealed there is a recording Samuel made of a fight they had the day before the accident that is played in real time in court, showing just how damaged their marriage was as they both resent the accusations launched by the other. The scene is played as a flash back and is the only scene we see Samuel speaking. The writing of the scene and the superb acting by Hüller will have you wondering is Sandra sincere or is this all an act. Hüller can also be seen in two earlier excellent movies, Requiem and Tony Erdmann. Anatomy of a Fall is mainly in French with English subtitles, but most of Hüller’s dialogue is in English. The movie is currently playing in theaters.