ANATOMY OF A FALL opens October 13th
Mysteries have become an incredibly popular form of storytelling once again, from television shows and movies to weekly podcasts that dig deep into cold cases and twisty whodunits. But rarely do the cases come with the level of tension, ambiguity, and intrigue as audiences are going to find in the masterful ANATOMY OF A FALL. Justine Triet’s compelling courtroom drama, which we've recognized as an AMC Artisan Film, recently played the Toronto Film Festival and proved itself a viable contender for Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Original Screenplay in the 2024 Academy Awards race.
The Best Actress contender would be German actress Sandra Hüller, who mesmerizes as Sandra, a successful author stuck in a marriage that’s slowly crumbling. So naturally, when Sandra’s husband Samuel (Samuel Theis) turns up dead in front of the couple’s villa, she’s considered a prime suspect in his alleged murder.
As is usually the case in a murder case, innocence or guilt almost becomes secondary to what can be proven in a court of law. Sandra insists to her attorney, and close family friend, that she did not kill her husband, despite their issues. To which he calmly replies, “That’s not the point.” The lawyer understands that facts are almost irrelevant in both the legal court, and the court of public opinion, and it will be more important for Sandra to put up a compelling story in her defense – a story that will have to include the couple’s blind son, Daniel (Milo Machado Graner), who conveniently took the family dog out for a walk during the moment when his father fell to his death.
After the stage is set, and the crime has been established, ANATOMY OF A FALL methodically presents both sides of everyone’s arguments in a riveting courtroom setting. Sandra’s defense is the suggestion of suicide, and the hours and days leading up to the death are scrutinized under a microscope. Details dribble out, and Triet’s script paces the reveals the way a prestige television show might dole out twists and turns. It’s raw, as motivations of jealousy, guilt, and frustrations bubble up. And Sandra Hüller holds it all together with a masterful performance that honestly deserves to propel her into the conversation for Best Actress. ANATOMY OF A FALL doesn’t fly nearly as high without her being this good.
Keep an eye out for ANATOMY OF A FALL when it reaches AMC Theatres on October 13th. It’s the kind of international offering that generates waves of attention because of powerful word of mouth, and the dense and detail-oriented script will have true-crime fans chewing over the results of the trial for weeks after the movie has screened. Because in a multifaceted movie such as this, every fact has two interpretations, and even in the trickiest murder trials, people paying attention want a story more than they want the facts.
They’ll get an excellent story if they grab tickets to ANATOMY OF A FALL, so sign up now for reminders for when tickets go on sale.
ANATOMY OF A FALL opens October 13th