1218 Anatomy of a Fall

[brundlefly]

NEON's trailer for Triet's Anatomy of a Fall comes with click-through trigger warnings and a crisis hotline number.

[therewillbeblus]

NEON's trailer for Triet's Anatomy of a Fall comes with click-through trigger warnings and a crisis hotline number.

Anatomy of a Fall is an exemplary triumph of both the genre, style, and tone - issuing respectful narrative withholding to merit procedural-mystery pleasures while striking a tone of ambiguity-as-pathway-to-humanism. These qualities support the other, and its the commitment to this latter ethos that makes this a superior version of TÁR. On paper it sounds like a reckless comparison, but the questions it asks of its audience are of a similar thematic ilk, only told by a filmmaker with humbler ambitions, a gentler approach, and comfortability with restraint from blending with its principal character as not to accidentally oversimplify her. I know they had different methods to tackling their subjects, but Field could learn something from Triet's outcome.

[soundchaser]

Anatomy of a Fall is an exemplary triumph of both the genre, style, and tone - issuing respectful narrative withholding to merit procedural-mystery pleasures while striking a tone of ambiguity-as-pathway-to-humanism. These qualities support the other, and its the commitment to this latter ethos that makes this a superior version of TÁR. On paper it sounds like a reckless comparison, but the questions it asks of its audience are of a similar thematic ilk, only told by a filmmaker with humbler ambitions, a gentler approach, and comfortability with restraint from blending with its principal character as not to accidentally oversimplify her. I know they had different methods to tackling their subjects, but Field could learn something from Triet's outcome.

I was also wow-ed by this one (although I disagree with your TÁR comparison -- they're trying to accomplish two very different things, I think), particularly the performances of Milo Graner and Messi, a worthy Palme Dog winner if ever there was one. I am a bit baffled by how free-wheeling the French legal system appears here, though. I'm an uncultured American, so I could be wrong, but surely no judge would allow THIS much blatant witness leading? Or the sequence with the novel? In fact, the film's one pitfall, for me, is its general handling of the prosecutor, who comes across as SO unsympathetic that the case he's making loses its bite. Maybe that was Triet's intention, but it's a bit heavy-handed if so. Nonetheless, I found the film very compelling in its approach and nuances.

[therewillbeblus]

I think both films are, broadly speaking, attempting to recognize the complexity of a person that cannot be funneled into a verdict of guilt around a particular instance, at least not as far as how much dignity they possess on a humanistic level. The films do indeed have different ambitions and approaches in how they engage with and further that base idea, but I think Field wants to have things too many ways that conflict with his aims. Anatomy of a Fall is a less ambitious film, and takes a simpler route to distance from the character, but it still feels like a lesson Field could’ve used given at least one strong set of his intentions. But I’ve already tired my qualms with that film - just thought it was an interesting comparison (and I know I’ve read critics mentioning the two together, so not claiming novelty either!)

[soundchaser]

Fair enough! I’d say that’s more Triet’s attenpt than Field’s, but I liked ‘em both, so it’s no worries here.

[JamesF]

I never thought of Tar as a comparison, but the first half reminded me of Antonio Campos’ recent HBO adaptation of The Staircase, to the extent that I wondered if the film would be playing the same beats (slightly weird and aloof defendant on trial for ambiguous spouse death), just with Sandra Huller being excellent. That would have been fine, but Anatomy changes tack for the better halfway through and firmly becomes its own beast. I certainly share soundchaser’s questions about the French courts though!

And oh my word, that dog

[Finch]

The closer we look, the less we know in Justine Triet’s masterful Palme d’Or–winning Anatomy of a Fall, an eerily riveting courtroom thriller that examines the line where truth becomes fiction and fiction becomes truth. When Sandra Voyter (a transfixing Sandra Hüller), a writer who turns the material of her life into autofiction, is put on trial for the suspicious death by defenestration—or was it suicide?—of her husband, it opens up an inquiry that will turn a troubled home inside out. Tapping into the minimalist intensity of a chamber drama—and using intricate, elliptical editing—Triet constructs a mystery that is ultimately less about a death than about the hidden lives we lead.

FILM INFO
France
2023
151 minutes
Color
1.85:1
French, English
Spine #1218

DIRECTOR-APPROVED BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
2K digital master, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
New interview with director Justine Triet
Deleted and alternate scenes with commentary by Triet
Audition footage of actors Milo Machado Graner and Antoine Reinartz and rehearsal footage of Machado Graner and actor Sandra Hüller
Trailer
PLUS: An essay by critic Alexandra Schwartz

New cover by Greg Ruth

[pistolwink]

they missed the best bonus feature of all!

[dwk]

They've added the following extra (which I assume is the video in the previous post):

Short program about the dog who plays Snoop, featuring trainer Laura Martin

[Clarar]

I never thought of Tar as a comparison, but the first half reminded me of Antonio Campos’ recent HBO adaptation of The Staircase, to the extent that I wondered if the film would be playing the same beats (slightly weird and aloof defendant on trial for ambiguous spouse death), just with Sandra Huller being excellent. That would have been fine, but Anatomy changes tack for the better halfway through and firmly becomes its own beast. I certainly share soundchaser’s questions about the French courts though!

And oh my word, that dog

The comparison to Antonio Campos' HBO adaptation of "The Staircase" is interesting, especially noting similarities in the portrayal of a slightly weird and aloof defendant on trial for an ambiguous spouse death. However, it seems the writer found that "Anatomy" diverges from this comparison halfway through, becoming its own unique narrative. The mention of Sandra Huller's excellent performance adds to the positive assessment of the film's direction.