‘Anatomy of a Fall’: Sandra Hüller is Oscar-worthy in Justine Triet’s ‘intense’ thriller [Review Round-Up]
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On October 13, 2023, Neon released “Anatomy of a Fall” in the United States following its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May. With a score of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, critics have raved about the Palme d’Or winner, with the consensus stating, “A smart, solidly crafted procedural that’s anchored in family drama, ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ finds star Sandra Hüller and director/co-writer Justine Triet operating at peak power.”
For the past year, Sandra (Hüller), her husband Samuel (Samuel Theis), and their 11-year-old son Daniel (Milo Machado-Graner) have lived a secluded life in a remote town in the French Alps. When Samuel is found dead in the snow below their chalet, the police question whether he was murdered or committed suicide. Samuel’s suspicious death is presumed murder, and Sandra becomes the main suspect. What follows is not just an investigation into the circumstances of Samuel’s death but an unsettling psychological journey into the depths of Sandra and Samuel’s conflicted relationship.
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According to Gold Derby’s Oscar odds, the film is expected to be a major player at the upcoming Academy Awards. It currently ranks ninth for Best Picture, fourth for Best Actress (Hüller) and third for Best Original Screenplay (Triet/Arthur Harari). Read our full review round-up below.
Guy Lodge of Film of the Week praises the film for not going down the same road as other films in the same vein, noting, “What we get instead, over an expansive but consistently riveting two-and-a-half-hour runtime, is a kind of emotional procedural, less concerned with cold facts than with multiple parties’ fluid, permeable ideas of the truth, and the ellipses between them.” Adding, “The filmmakers’ fixation on untidy ambiguities is matched by Hüller’s astonishing performance as a woman who would likely stand her ideological ground as intensely if she were guilty as if she were innocent. At a certain point in the trial, it feels she has to defend her right to an imperfect marriage more urgently than anything else.”
Alexandra Heller-Nicholas of AWFJ.org writes, “On the surface, ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ has all the trappings of the familiar courtroom drama – the bulk of its actions center on what happens in court, and most of the twists and turns stem from revelations made by witnesses when provoked by lawyers. But Triet injects the familiar courtroom-set legal thriller with something uniquely and powerfully her own; the tension in ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ is at times so intense that it is almost impossible to describe, as is the feeling throughout the film that some things – and some people – are simply unknowable.”
Anna Miller of Filmotomy says, “Triet and Harari’s screenplay is on absolute fire with authentic, intriguing dialogue, story beats that continuously pique interests and keep an audience guessing, and an intensity that is realistic, natural and unpredictable in the best way.” Adding, “The performances are basically all powerhouse showcases of this ensemble’s talent. Sandra Hüller (‘The Zone of Interest’) is an absolute standout and gives, frankly, an Academy Award-worthy performance, at least deserving of a nomination. Her portrayal of the complicated wife and mother, Sandra is utterly mesmerizing, as she tries to defend herself and prove her own innocence while the darkest corners of her life are brought to the light in front of an audience.”
Therese Lacson of Collider notes, “Thoughtful and meaty, Justine Triet’s ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ offers a microscopic look not at the fall of a man, but the falling apart of relationships and what is left in the aftermath.” Lacson continues, “Hüller is stunning as Sandra, portraying the complicated woman with all the dimensions necessary for the character. She’s calm and collected on the surface, reasonable and affable, but it’s not hard to see the rage and injustice that roils beneath the surface. ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ is not about whether or not Sandra killed Samuel, but more about the unraveling of a marriage and a family that we watch in slow motion.”
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