Anatomy Of A Fall Dir: Justine Triet (Film Review)

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Anatomy Of  A Fall kicked off this year’s New Zealand International Film Festival at Auckland’s beloved Civic Theatre. It’s a Palm d’Or winner that gives the viewer plenty of space  (and time) to think.

It’s been quite a week for films…I’ve seen previews of Mission Impossible, Oppenheimer, even Barbie…all four films very different, but all four proving in their own ways that the art of filmmaking is alive and well.

Anatomy Of A Fall has been described as “a Hitchcockian procedural thriller” but I have to wonder if the person who wrote that has ever seen a Hitchcock film, a thriller or this one.

More accurately, Anatomy is a very thorough, very meticulous courtroom drama played out in France. It is also a fascinating character study of a woman who may just be too smart, too successful for her own good.

Sandra is that character, played brilliantly by German actor Sandra Huller, a successful writer married to a man, Samuel who is not (successful), although he is trying. The couple has one child, an 11 year old son, Daniel who is vision-impaired due to an accident that happened to him when he was supposed to be under his father’s care.

Set in a small town in the French Alps, the film begins with the death of Samuel who falls from a second storey window and is discovered by his traumatized son.

So did he jump or was he pushed?

The police are on the scene and quickly (almost too quickly it seems) Sandra has been accused of murder despite the lack of any physical evidence.

From then on, most of the “action” such as it is, takes place in the courtroom, which is just fine by me. I love a good courtroom drama, have grown up watching Perry Mason on TV.

I think old Perry would be stunned at how the French legal system differs from the American. From what we see here, bother defence and prosecutors are given much more leeway as to their questions, leading witnesses on, speculating and so on. It the speculation by the prosecutor I found most shocking.

And it was the way that the accused Sandra reacted that I found most impressive.

Without going into too much detail (no spoilers here) let’s just say that the male/female dynamic still has a lot to answer for.

At times it seems like Sandra is on trial for being successful, strong willed and very honest. Traits you would think would serve her well.

Director Justine Triet does an admirable job of building the tension and throwing up ‘alternate truths” in her script. And subtle touches such as seemingly awkward camera moves helped to heighten the drama.

The film is 150 minutes long, and it probably could have been edits down, but to be fair, it was the final thirty minutes that were the most riveting.

So no daring stunts, no mind-bending time shifts, no pink outfits, just good, solid old-fashioned movie making makes Anatomy Of A Fall a solid success.

Marty Duda

 

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Marty Duda
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