Anatomy of a Fall
Plot
Anatomy of a Fall begins on a stunning image, an overview of the French Alpine town of Montepierre, later to be shrouded in tears and sorrow, where Sara (Sandra Hüller) lives with her husband Thomas (Swann Arlaud) and their adopted son Laurent (Lucan Wilmut), who suffers from complete darkness. Sara works as a tutor and also helps her friend Léa (Léna Quincy) with taking care of her husband's horse farm. Their quiet and peaceful lives take an unexpected turn when Thomas's body is found dead in the French Alps underneath the horse ramp of his business presumably giving his demise an indication of an accident. Laurent is found tied to the horse ramp, shaken, however silent. This jarring incident opens a can of worms and sets the stage for a series of happenings that expose the true relationship between Sara, Thomas, and their son. While the chief inspector (Marina Foïs) investigates and searches for justice, many aspects of Sara's life, including her relationship with her son and her adopted fatherly figure husband Thomas, become subject of scrutiny. Sara's increasing unease drives her to be more defensive, whereas her friend Léa shows the detective inconsistencies in their alibis. Years prior to the night of Thomas's death, there were hints of doubt from the loving father figure that Thomas sometimes portrayed. Sara revealed to Inspector LeGuinnec (Philippe Girard), the questioning became increasingly personal with issues involving their relationship leading to disturbing conversations which set forth unaddressed marital issues despite their amicable acts, hinting to some questionable behavior including suspicions between Sara and their son. All these unsettling mysteries around the unsolved death pull the young guardian, Laurent, further down a path which clouds the meaning of loyalty, love, and betrayal.
Reviews
Oliver
The most chilling aspect is that the husband had already decided to commit suicide. After a failed attempt, he meticulously recorded his last explosive argument with his wife under the guise of collecting material for his writing. How much hidden pain and filth can a marriage hold? Plagiarism, infidelity, and even the car accident that blinded their son at age four weren't enough to drive him to suicide. The deeper reason lies in his deep-seated low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy, and a psychological shadow of never being recognized—a long, unending nightmare from which he could never wake up. Therefore, what's truly horrifying is why he would harm himself, commit suicide, and then frame his wife for it. This story exposes...
Everett
The Academy should give the dog an award for Best Performance!
Diego
A strong, modern script that puts 99% of male creators in the industry to shame with its lack of depth and outdated perspectives. When the judicial system is built upon prejudice and discrimination, standing in court means you not only have to defend yourself against accusations of murder, but you also have to defend your gender, your sexuality, and even in a language that is not truly yours.
Kimber
No life can withstand the scrutiny of being dissected and rehashed.
Isaac
1. I agree that neither party in a relationship should lose themselves, nor should they place the blame on the other. Most importantly, the decision to sacrifice oneself should never be made in the first place. 2. If we were to reverse the roles of the couple in the film, we would find that the husband's situation is actually the predicament that the majority of women face in reality. However, society has become accustomed to this invisible oppression of women. When the oppressed becomes a man, and he commits suicide because of it, everyone's (including the audience's) first reaction is - impossible.
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