OVERPRAISED NEW MOVIE: ANATOMY OF A FALL

ANATOMY OF A FALL (aka Anatomie d'un chute/2023). Director/co-screenplay: Justine Triet. 

German-born Sandra (Sandra Huller) lives in a Chalet in France with her husband, Samuel (Samuel Theis), and their son, Daniel (Milo Machado-Graner). Sandra is a successful novelist while her husband is a teacher who seems unable to complete his own book. One day Samuel is found lying dead in the snow outside the chalet -- but did he fall, jump, or was he pushed? Eventually Sandra, who has had one-night stands with other women and had a big, tape-recorded fight with Sam not long before his death, is arrested for murder. Her lawyer, Vincent (Swann Arlaud), and his associates, do their best to convince a jury that Samuel, depressed at being a failure at forty, committed suicide. Meanwhile young Daniel struggles with his own conflicted feelings. 

Samuel Theis and Sandra Huller

Despite a slow opening, Anatomy of a Fall is an absorbing and interesting movie that reminds one of an episode of Dateline. Did she do it or didn't she? Be warned that the movie doesn't seem to care that much if she did or didn't, but is more concerned with analyzing -- to a small extent -- the couple's marriage and Daniel's reactions. Huller is okay in her stereotypically "Germanic" and generally unemotional portrayal, and the adults surrounding her are all on target, but Machado-Graner is superb. There are some well-written scenes in the movie. One that especially comes to mind is the argument between husband and wife in which she accuses him of blaming her for all of his failings. But the movie is also at times rather superficial, especially when it comes to exploring Sandra's sexuality (there's no discussion of her possible internalized homophobia, for instance) and other matters -- it just doesn't dig deep enough (and at two and half hours long it should have). The movie does illustrate how some prosecutors can and will use any bit of ammunition they have, even if they have to twist things a bit, to convict someone (just as defense attorneys do the same in their own way). 

The film received Oscar nominations for best film, best actress, best director and best editing, but won only for best screenplay. In French and English. 

All in all, Anatomy of a Fall is not necessarily a waste of time -- it should hold your attention -- but you'll probably never want to see it again. **3/4.