Anatomy of a Fall

A woman (Sandra Hüller) is accused of murdering her husband, who died after a fall off a balcony.

On the face of it this is a pretty clinical and perhaps run-of-the-mill investigation into a possible crime and the court case that ensues. What transforms the film is its incredible lead performance as well as its interesting choices with regards to its construction.

I love the way that Triet unpacks all the emotions and details of the marriage at the same pace as the trial unfolds, and even presents private moments as evidence. When someone dies in suspicious circumstances, all eyes are on the defendant whilst the dead aren’t there to be judged. There’s a laser focus on everything wrong with your life and the 99% of it that was plain sailing is glossed over.

It’s not a particularly novel or flashy film but it seeks truth and finds it, and in this case that’s more than enough.