Anatomy of a Fall * * * * ½

Oops!

Every year The Academy Awards issue an award to some foreign movie so that the world will know they are somewhat aware of filmmaking outside their own country.   Good for them!

The chosen film gets the reputation of being an outstanding foreign film, whereas often it's just one of similarly great films released in the same year. The outcome is the chosen film enjoys box office returns many times greater than what it would normally experience. Call it the Oscar blessing I guess. 

This year they have nominated Anatomy of a Fall, which, in fairness, is as good a film as many of the dozens of  others equally fine foreign films they could have chosen from.  It's worthy.

It's a film of intrigue, it's a courtroom drama, and it's a portrait of a marriage (featuring an explosive scene on par with that infamous scene in Marriage Story) . With the inclusion of a handicapped child and a very sweet dog it also tugs at your heartstrings - a lot!  Yet, despite that sentimentality, it remains a very intelligent film.

A couple and their visually handicapped son live in a chalet in the mountain districts of France. The husband falls from the upper window to his death. Did he jump?  Did he accidentally fall?  Was he pushed? 

After the autopsy, the wife Sandra is shocked to find herself being charged with murder. Fortunately she has a lawyer friend who agrees to help and represent her.  As the trial progresses the complications of her marriage is revealed.  They are both writers.  She is experiencing success whilst his ambitions were languishing. They were not a happy couple. Indeed, their relationship was bordering on violence.

Naturally, none of this puts her in a good position. Yet she maintains her innocence. The boy is also drawn into the investigation, being the only other person present at the time and being the one to find the body of his father.  Confused and emotionally upset he changes his mind about where he was at the time.  Meanwhile, Sandra admits to overlooking a few things too. The defence starts to look shaky.

Absent of overly flamboyant dramatisation the courtroom scenes are very good. Indeed, riveting at times, especially as the jury is compelled to listen to a recording of their arguments.  Her husband had been secretly recording their fights and now the prosecution have a copy.

Sandra is played by Sandra Huller who I last saw in the magnificent Toni Erdmann, though she has been in many other European films that regrettably have never been shown here. (Probably because they've never had an Academy Award recognition).

Anatomy of a Fall has already received many other highly respectable but less known accolades and nominations

The story of Anatomy of a Fall is an original screenplay written by the director Justine Triet and her husband.  . Justine Triet is quite outspoken on many political issues.  This is her fourth feature film.

Anatomy of a Fall is a powerful drama.  Well worthy of the acknowledgment it has received.