Many reviewers have claimed that Anatomy of a Fall is a wonderful courtroom drama that offers a refreshing change since such movies aren't made anymore in this day and age. However, I could name you three courtroom dramas from the past eighteen months that are all better than Anatomy of a Fall. A Guilty Conscience offers a most gripping plot and a powerful message on the pulse of time that influential, rich and self-centered people can't buy justice. Last Suspect offers an intense story with multiple twists and turns that blur the lines between innocence and guilt on more than one occasion. Article Twenty deals with a heart-wrenching case of excessive self-defence when a plagued victim resists against his pitiless aggressor. Anatomy of Fall doesn't have the emotions, intellect and twists that all these three movies have and ultimately qualifies as slightly above average family drama with excessive lengths.
The story revolves around an international couple, consisting of a moderately famous German author and her husband who is a depressed French university lecturer. They have met in England, got a visually impaired son who needs much attention and care and ultimately moved to the isolation of the French Alps. One day, the husband is found dead in front of their house as he seems to have died from a fall. Police soon starts investigating and discovers that the relationship between husband and wife was extremely strained. The French Court now wants to find out whether the husband's death was accidental or whether a murder has been committed. The only witness who can testify is the visually impaired child who is traumatized by the events and doesn't know what or who to believe anymore.
This movie has several strengths that deserve praise. First and foremost, the acting performances are particularly strong. Sandra Hüller convinces as tormented mother and widow who faces justice in a country that isn't her own during a trial using a language that isn't hers either. Samuel Theis delivers the goods as depressed, desperate and manipulative husband whose life has gradually been spinning out of control. Milo Machado-Graner excels as timid and frightened but intelligent and observant child who is going through difficult changes. Swann Arlaud plays a caring, empathic and resilient lawyer who develops intimate feelings for the woman he is tasked to defend. Antoine Reinartz excels as tough prosecutor who is aggressively putting the accused and the witness under pressure. A most serious honourable mention goes out to film dog Messi who astonishingly and convincingly pretends to be poisoned and to be dying. Other noteworthy positive elements from this movie are the fitting soundtrack enhancing the different scenes, the realistic plot that keeps viewers guessing until the very end and the movie's burdensome, gloomy and numbing atmosphere.
However, this movie isn't without several significant flaws. While the plot is realistic, it is missing surprising twists, turns or ideas to keep the viewers intellectually and emotionally involved throughout. Several scenes severely overstay their welcome, especially the ones taking place between the death of the father and husband as well as the beginning of the trial. Clocking in at a challenging one hundred fifty-one minutes, the screenplay ought to have been more concise as at least half an hour should have been cut to make this movie easier to digest. The pace of the movie is at times painfully slow which makes it difficult to get into and even more challenging to remain interested until the final third is almost conciliatory.
At the end of the day, Anatomy of a Fall is recommended to viewers who want to watch a realistic family drama involving gifted actresses and actors. Those who want to watch a gripping courtroom drama with emotional characters and intellectual plot devices should however watch the three movies mentioned in the introduction. At the end of the day, Anatomy of a Fall's positive elements slightly outweigh its considerable downsides. What viewers get here is a slightly above average melodramatic drama that is only appreciated so much because people have stopped discovering intriguing contemporary movies outside of commercial movie theatres.
The story revolves around an international couple, consisting of a moderately famous German author and her husband who is a depressed French university lecturer. They have met in England, got a visually impaired son who needs much attention and care and ultimately moved to the isolation of the French Alps. One day, the husband is found dead in front of their house as he seems to have died from a fall. Police soon starts investigating and discovers that the relationship between husband and wife was extremely strained. The French Court now wants to find out whether the husband's death was accidental or whether a murder has been committed. The only witness who can testify is the visually impaired child who is traumatized by the events and doesn't know what or who to believe anymore.
This movie has several strengths that deserve praise. First and foremost, the acting performances are particularly strong. Sandra Hüller convinces as tormented mother and widow who faces justice in a country that isn't her own during a trial using a language that isn't hers either. Samuel Theis delivers the goods as depressed, desperate and manipulative husband whose life has gradually been spinning out of control. Milo Machado-Graner excels as timid and frightened but intelligent and observant child who is going through difficult changes. Swann Arlaud plays a caring, empathic and resilient lawyer who develops intimate feelings for the woman he is tasked to defend. Antoine Reinartz excels as tough prosecutor who is aggressively putting the accused and the witness under pressure. A most serious honourable mention goes out to film dog Messi who astonishingly and convincingly pretends to be poisoned and to be dying. Other noteworthy positive elements from this movie are the fitting soundtrack enhancing the different scenes, the realistic plot that keeps viewers guessing until the very end and the movie's burdensome, gloomy and numbing atmosphere.
However, this movie isn't without several significant flaws. While the plot is realistic, it is missing surprising twists, turns or ideas to keep the viewers intellectually and emotionally involved throughout. Several scenes severely overstay their welcome, especially the ones taking place between the death of the father and husband as well as the beginning of the trial. Clocking in at a challenging one hundred fifty-one minutes, the screenplay ought to have been more concise as at least half an hour should have been cut to make this movie easier to digest. The pace of the movie is at times painfully slow which makes it difficult to get into and even more challenging to remain interested until the final third is almost conciliatory.
At the end of the day, Anatomy of a Fall is recommended to viewers who want to watch a realistic family drama involving gifted actresses and actors. Those who want to watch a gripping courtroom drama with emotional characters and intellectual plot devices should however watch the three movies mentioned in the introduction. At the end of the day, Anatomy of a Fall's positive elements slightly outweigh its considerable downsides. What viewers get here is a slightly above average melodramatic drama that is only appreciated so much because people have stopped discovering intriguing contemporary movies outside of commercial movie theatres.