Court dramas are an often overlooked genre of film, often taking place in one location, and not having any action, however they are filled with dense dialogue to be inspected and interpreted for years to come and rousing emotion opening the door for strong performances. Anatomy of a Fall is a gripping film that contains all these features and more. The film chronicles the legal case of a woman (played by Sandra Hüller) who is accused of murdering her husband after he is found dead at the front of their house having fell, or been pushed, off a balcony.
The film follows Sandra Hüller’s character, Sandra Voyter, through the initial questioning, conversations with her lawyer (played by Swann Arlaud), and through the trial itself up until the verdict. Anatomy of a Fall also heavily features Sandra’s son Daniel (played by Milo Machado-Graner), who was made blind by a traffic accident when he was younger and was the one to find his father dead at the bottom of their balcony.
Anatomy of a Fall is full of compelling performances, notably from Sandra Hüller but also from Machado-Graner and even Snoop, Daniel’s dog.
Anatomy of a Fall, 2023. Directed by Justine Triet
The audience is shown little from before the accident, and what is shown is explored further during the trial, this immerses the audience further into the mystery and gives the feeling that you are a member of the jury. This feeling is enhanced by the strong performances all around as well as what is shown of Sandra’s personal life and through lengthy conversations with her lawyer.
The way the movie portrays Sandra as sympathetic, but neither innocent nor guilty, is masterful. It lets the audience dissect Sandra Hüller’s layered performance and the movie’s rich dialogue. It keeps the audience locked into every line delivery and stutter, encouraging us to try and discern subtext or hidden meanings from the mundane.
The title, Anatomy of a Fall, brings to mind the James Stewart court-drama classic Anatomy of a Murder, which is an example of a typical (and excellent) court-drama, and highlights how Anatomy of a Fall carves its own path within the genre. The simple difference between these movies is that Murder’s focal character is the defence lawyer of a murder case, whereas Fall centres the defendant herself, giving a totally unique perspective on a court case, following someone who the audience care for, but may well be guilty of murder.
Anatomy of a Fall puts a spotlight on Sandra and her husband Samuel’s relationship, as previously mentioned, giving the audience the same insight that the jury is given and leaving Sandra to justify the complex relationship that she shared with Samuel as evidence of violence and infidelity comes to light. These scenes are some of the most compelling in the movie, seeing a woman struggle like that, and yet the question of her innocence lingers in the back of one’s mind.
Anatomy of a Fall, 2023. Directed by Justine Triet
Anatomy of a Fall covers the nitty-gritty technicalities of the legal system, much like other court dramas, but the majority of the runtime is dedicated to Sandra’s life and the way she and her son are handling it all. Another deviation from a typical court drama is that Anatomy of a Fall doesn’t have a 12-Angry-Men-esque uplifting ending, it simply lets the audience sit with the trial’s verdict in a single silent shot before the credits roll. Anatomy of a Fall sits at a 2-and-a-half-hour runtime, which is on the longer side for a movie, but it doesn’t drag or outstay its welcome even for a moment.
While deviating from the standard court-drama formula, Anatomy of a Fall tells a deeply empathetic, gripping story that is sure to excite and provoke lovers of the genre and general movie goers alike. Between excellent pacing, career-defining performances, and dialogue rife with lingering implications, Anatomy of a Fall will have you lost within its drama in the best way possible. The film is playing from the 1st to the 7th of January at the Somerville Auditorium run through Perth Festival.