Director/cowriter Justine Triet brings Anatomy of a Fall, a film that takes a tragedy and reexamines the lives that are directly affected. It functions as not only a solid mystery but also a tension filled drama.
When a man dies under suspicious circumstances, it triggers an official investigation that threatens to upend his family. After the man’s body is discovered, officials question his wife (Sandra Hüller) and traumatized son. Meanwhile as the investigation progresses, there is a real possibility that she may be charged with murder, and she consults a lawyer friend who offers to help. The facts of the case become more complicated and incriminating leading to a trial where both sides present convincing arguments. Was it suicide, accident, or murder? As the judgment is about to be rendered, the deciding factor may rest on the son’s testimony.
Featuring a strong performance by Hüller (Zone of Interest) who becomes the focus of the story, the film, bereft of a musical score and methodically shot, is told in a straightforward, almost semi-documentary style with attention to detail and forensics. We learn about this family’s background through interviews and recordings about the parents’ relationship and recent conflicts. Reconstructing the events, it’s a fascinating, meticulous examination of the truth despite surface appearances. It avoids sentiment and has a linear narrative that accumulates momentum as it builds to a tense conclusion.
Spoken
in English, French, and German, the film is an engrossing, character study that
succeeds despite its minimalist approach and longer runtime (152 minutes). The
story never forgets that these are people with feelings and pain, and when
death occurs, it becomes a huge loss and an overwhelming intrusion in their
lives. There is not a false note in the
emotions.
**** of *****stars
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