Anatomy of a Fall

14A, coarse language.
Dir: Justine Triet.
France, 2023, 152 min.
Swann Ariaud, Sandra Hüller, Milo Machado Graner. In French with English subtitles.

“Justine Triet’s French legal drama is amassing buzz as one of the fall’s clear art-house breakouts. The plot is straight out of a ’90s paperback best seller—a novelist is arrested for murder after her husband dies in a fall at their mountain home, and must fight to prove her innocence during a long and complex trial. But Triet’s film delves beyond the (thrillingly showy) French legal system and into the intricacies of a troubled marriage, asking the audience to consider whether every subtle sign of decay in a partnership should amount to motive… Hüller, a German actress probably best known for her role in Toni Erdmann, gives an extraordinary performance already being tipped for Oscar success.”—David Sims, The Atlantic

“Not a whole lot of films these days earn their extra-long running times. But French writer-director Justine Triet’s suspenseful drama is so nuanced and thrilling to watch that its two and a half hours breeze by… It’s absolutely riveting.”—Candice Frederick, HuffPost

“Prepare to be wowed by one of the best movies of the year… Anatomy of a Fall is essential viewing that will pin you to your seat.” –Peter Travers, ABC News