Cannes Film Review: Anatomy of a Fall (2023)

The winner of the 76th Cannes Film Festival’s most prestigious award – the Palme d’Or – went to the French film, Anatomy of a Fall (Anatomie D’une Chute), from director Justine Triet, who became the third female director to ever win the title. The film premiered at Cannes to an overwhelmingly positive response, with words like ‘Academy Awards’ being thrown around in the same breath as its talent and title. With the screenplay written by the combined forces of Triet and Arthur Harari, the film boasts precise direction, award-worthy performances and captivating writing that makes its 152 minute runtime breeze by.

Anatomy of a Fall hones in on the aftermath of a deadly and suspicious accident, when Samuel, a husband and father falls, off the balcony of his home in the French Alps, and is found dead on the wintery ground below. The only other witness was the couple’s son, Daniel, who was outside, present for the incident, but is blind. The deceased’s wife, Sandra, quickly becomes the main suspect as her family is relentlessly questioned and her life and relationships publicly picked apart.

The film is less of a twisty murder mystery and leans more towards a thrilling courtroom drama. But this does nothing to lessen its impact, how compelling it plays out and its ability to hold tension and uncertainty throughout due to more than one of its magnificent elements.

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.

Samuel Theis as the late husband and father, Samuel, also does a splendid job at matching Sandra’s energy and passion. Especially in a few highly intense scenes, even despite his lesser amount of time on screen. Then there’s Milo Machado Graner as young David, who knocks his role out of the park and delivers countless highly emotional moments, keeping up with the abounding talent around him with utter ease — a joy to watch. And an honorable mention for Snoop the dog, who, in all seriousness, does some impressive acting in his own right and whose presence is felt throughout the film.

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. The fights aren’t overdramatic, the most minute details often play an importance, and the situations are presented to the audience in such an objective manner that it is near impossible to pick a side or make a decision about what may have happened on that blustery, winter day.

This is, of course, intentional. For Trier to hold out on giving the audience the truth, it creates a fascinating relationship with the characters on screen. As we are left in the dark, we are forced to see things impartially, and in turn, give the characters an equal chance to “hear them out”, as it were. Samuel’s death could’ve been a suicide, an accident, or there could’ve very well been a push. We cannot with a clear conscious, make up our minds on the matter, and this is as frustrating as it is intoxicatingly close to real life.

The diegetic music throughout is a character in and of itself, as it plays an enormous role in “the incident” in quite the peculiar way. One particular, repetitive song – funnily enough a cover of 50 Cent’s P.I.M.P. by the Bacao Rhythm and Steel Band – haunt the audience and characters on and off for the majority of the runtime. It’s inclusive does wonders to add to the uncanny and confusing atmosphere of the film in the most delectably fresh way. 

Anatomy of a Fall is a powerhouse of a film, and is sure to have a resurgence of attention around its release, as well as awards season. There are countless facets of the production that are near perfect that aid expertly in holding tension, keeping mystery and highlighting the ample talent on screen. It’s a bit of a slow burn in as well as a slow burn out, but the film’s core is a sticky web of mesmerizing drama that is as hard to look away from, as it is to make a decision for yourself on what really happened in that foyer.