Movie review – Anatomy of a Fall

The plot to this film is simple, or so it would have you believe. A woman is accused of pushing her husband off of an upper floor balcony, essentially murdering him. She maintains that she was asleep and that he must have jumped. Their son, who is partially blind, is forced to sit through the trial that portrays his parents’ marriage as an unhappy one. He must decide what he believes and it is his testimony that sways the trial.

The real success of this film is that it is that both sides of the case are so convincing that I found myself going back and forth as to whether the wife was actually guilty. Part of my cynical American upbringing left me wanting her to be found guilty, and even found myself thinking that the son was the guilty party (he’s not). Regardless, this could have gone so wrong but Anatomy of a Fall hits all the right murder trail thriller notes.

Sandra Huller leads this cast is such a touching way that it is hard to look away. I want to believe every word she says. Every denial that she did not kill her husband. And then the prosecution plays recorded tapes of how unhappy their marriage truly was, how full of jealousy and spite, that I found myself second guessing her. And then Sandra Huller speaks again and you believe her. Again.

Milo Machado Graner who plays the son, Daniel, add the true heart of the film. How much weight he pulls in this film isn’t felt until the end, but he is so worth the wait. Kid is a wonderful actor.

Four out of five stars.