Sandra Huller's emotional range shines as a writer accused of murdering her husband in Anatomy of a Fall.
Anatomy of a Fall (R, 152 mins) In cinemas now.
Directed by Justine Triet
German actress Sandra Huller stars as murder-accused Sandra in Anatomy of a Fall, showcasing her massive acting talent.
She manages to capture mood and possibilities with remarkable use of facial expression, demeanour and voice.
Is she covering up Sandra’s guilt, or is Sandra really innocent?
Sandra, also German-born, has recently relocated, unwillingly, from London to a chalet on the edge of her husband’s French village.
The family comprises Sandra, her husband Samuel (Samuel Theis), the couple’s visually impaired son Daniel (Milo Machado Graner) and the family’s border collie dog Snoop (Messi).
Samuel and Sandra are both writers.
Sandra’s successful, but Samuel has writer’s block and a pile of resentment.
He’s trying to supplement their income by converting part of the chalet into Airbnb accommodation.
It’s a powerful story.
The film opens with Samuel doing carpentry on the highest floor of the chalet while Sandra is trying to give an interview two floors below.
He’s hammering and sawing, playing music turned up far too loud.
It’s P.I.M.P., recorded by 50 Cent for his album Get Rich or Die Tryin – incidentally featuring rapper Snoop Dogg, but, spoiler semi-alert, there’s a purpose to the noise.
Nothing in this film lacks purpose, nothing could have been cut.
As Sandra’s interviewer leaves, Daniel and Snoop go for a walk down a snow-covered hillside.
On their return, they find Samuel lying dead at the foot of the chalet’s balcony.
There’s a ghastly wound to his head and blood trickling through the snow.
Sandra is accused of his murder.
Through the eyes of Sandra, Daniel and Sandra’s lawyer and old flame Vincent (Swann Arlaud), we become immersed in a marvellous unravelling of a whodunit.
Was it really murder?
It’s fast-paced and gripping, set mainly in a French courtroom.
Audiences will become fully engaged in trying, along with the jury, to decide what happened to Samuel and why.
Editor Laurent Senechal expertly splices in back-story scenes.
A psychiatrist’s account of events, blood splatter analysis and a dummy dropped from the chalet’s balcony add to the intrigue.
The prosecutor (Antoine Reinartz) is terrifyingly determined to get a conviction.
Biblical Samuel was a wise judge who rallied the Israelites to fight the Philistines, while Daniel was blessed by God with wisdom and the ability to interpret dreams.
Whether naming two characters Samuel and Daniel was intentional or not, it’s fair to say that Justine Triet is a trickster director.
Alternately, she lets us glimpse the truth, but straight away hides it.
The direction is brilliant, and so is the script, co-written by Justine Triet, in French with subtitles and some spoken English.
The layers of the story unfold in the enigmatic way that’s typical of the best French films.
Sandra Huller triumphs, and so do Swann Arlaud, Milo Machado Graner and award-winning collie dog Messi.
It’s no surprise the film won the coveted Palme d’Or at Cannes this year. It’s outstanding.
Must see
The first person to bring an image or hardcopy of this review to Starlight Cinema Taupō qualifies for a free ticket to Anatomy of a Fall.
Movies are rated: Avoid, Recommended, Highly recommended and Must see.
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