This is a movie for people who are into Woody Allen type stuff, it reminded me of _Marriage Story_ in particular. The dialogue and acting are definitely the main driving force here, and Sandra Hüller delivers a pretty great performance. The core ideas that the movie gets at about relationships, guilt and justice are compelling, but it’s not always told in the most efficient way. The pieces ultimately click into place in an unexpected way, but it takes a clunky, elaborate set-up to get there. Tightening up the beginning and very end would’ve improved the experience a lot for me, mostly because I wouldn’t have to hear that stupid 50 Cent song 80 times. Moreover, due to the story structure and constraints of a legal drama, the movie suffers from an overabundance of exposition. There are so many scenes where I wish they’d just cut to whatever the characters are talking about, instead of a boring close-up with someone reminiscing over a memory. I’m also not the biggest fan of how the courtroom scenes were staged, some elements are on the cheesy side. The bald lawyer in particular felt like a _Suits_ character, he doesn’t work in this more realistic context. Finally, the technical aspects of this movie are just fine. As is often the case with movies like this, the cinematography is competent but lacking in style or vision, nor is the score very noteworthy. All in all, it’s adequate but the accolades are completely overblown.

6/10

I'm a sucker for an open ended narrative, and Anatomy of a Fall gives us so many breadcrumbs to work with it's hard not to get lost in how we feel once the credits roll. It's been amazing to read multiple interpretations throughout the days following my viewing, and I'm still not sure where I land on the ultimate conclusion of the plot. What I can say for certainty is that Anatomy of a Fall is a glorious peek inside the life of a delightfully nuanced couple. Their interactions are raw and real, arguments feel clumsy and looped, realistic and believable. It asks us to question our perception and interpretation of others; seeing relationships for brief moments and coming to grandiose conclusions about their infinite nuances without ever truly knowing these people and the dynamics that push and pull between them. I'll continue to return to this movie in my head for weeks to come, as another minute detail bubbles up and questions the narrative I've built in my head about these people and what transpired between them. Maybe I should watch it again, I can't imagine what a second viewing will unearth. Fantastic film, I expect a lot of award season love for this one.

Anatomy of a Fall is a clever and compelling drama about a woman who must prove her innocence after the unexpected death of her husband.

It's not quite a mystery/why whodunnit, or a full-blown courtroom drama. And it's not a foreign movie either, as it slips in and out of English and French. It’s a movie about the complications of a situation and the language barrier to get information across, both literal, as our main character has some trouble speaking French, as she is originally from Germany, and metaphorical with trying to communicate what we are feeling and saying to people who don’t seem to listen.

We slowly learn what type of relationship it was between her and her husband during the trial, as she shares personal information to prove her innocence or a secretly recorded audio during a heated moment that gives you a better idea of their relationship.

Sandra Hüller's performance was fantastic, and her character is complex. One scene is when she delivers a fiery monologue, and it holds you in your place. I was unaware of her work beforehand, but after this film - she is on my radar. I cannot wait to see her in the Auschwitz film The Zone of Interest.

There is a stellar child performance from Milo Machado Graner and a challenging part, especially for his age, but he blew me away. The final speech he delivers towards the end is both beautiful and devastating.
All the acting from the cast was superb. Even the family dog was fantastic.

The directing and camera work was superb, and every shot was well thought out and presented effectively. The script was tremendous, as the dialogue and plot were terrific, but it also gave the actors a lot to work with.

My only issue with the film is the courtroom stuff, which slowed the pacing. While those scenes weren’t awful, they just got repetitive after a while.

Overall rating: Anatomy of a Fall is a gripping drama that keeps you guessing. Both while you are watching the movie and long after it’s over.

INT. THE ANATOMY OF ANATOMY OF A FALL - DAY
Anatomy of a Fall is an excellent film crafted from the mind of Justine Triet. It's beautifully acted, shot, scored and edited together. So let's look at the Anatomy of Anatomy of a Fall.

Story:
The story revolves around the unconfirmed cause of death of Samuel, who has fallen out of his attic window. The only person in the house was his wife Sandra, Sandra Hüller, the prime suspect. Their son Daniel, blind from an unfortunate event, is the only witness. The story is from the perspective of Sandra, and just like any courtroom drama, details are revealed over time. Fortunately, it's at a steady pace, never announcing too much or too little, giving us the correct information at the right time. While I'm mostly positive about the story, some moments slow right down, and we come to a standstill; overall, thanks to the following few components, they considerably make up for the story's flaws.

Performance:
Its lead is Anatomy of a Fall's greatest asset, Sandra Hüller. She is tremendous, pulling no punches in the role of Sandra, the deceased's wife. For the rest of the cast, no one except the dog is ever greater than Sandra!

Cinematography:
The camera in this film is on a swivel, always moving, keeping us engaged. The camera uses Visual humour quite a bit, which is always great to see. Finally, the colour grade felt natural and, at times, warm, giving a homely vibe.

Score:
A simple piano piece plays throughout the film; it is excellent.
Finally, the editing:
This was a stand-out for me. It was cleverly cutting at points to hide us from the horrors but holding onto moments before it became too much.
There's a lot of love about this film — a highlight of the Cannes 2023 run.

FADE OUT.