Anatomy Of A Fall Criterion Blu-ray Review
“Anatomy Of A Fall” is an intense drama.
Written by Justine Triet and Arthur Harari, “Anatomy Of A Fall” is a murder mystery/courtroom drama. The story begins in snowy Grenoble where a writer (Sandra) lives with her husband (Samuel), their partially blind son (Daniel) and the family dog (Snoop). Sandra is being interviewed by a student, but the interview is soon interrupted by her husband blasting music. The interview comes to an end and Sandra goes to confront Samuel while Daniel goes outside to walk Snoop. Upon returning home, Daniel discovers Samuel dead on the ground. Did he fall accidentally? Was it a suicide? Did Sandra murder him? It’s unclear. Shortly thereafter, Sandra is indicted for homicide. The prosecution grills her and complicates her life, but her son Daniel just may be the key to perhaps finding the truth and saving his mother.
Nominated for 5 Oscars including Best Picture, “Anatomy Of A Fall” was a big international cinema hit. In this era of true crime fascination, this Justine Triet directed tale about relationships, truth, family, the legal system, and trust really captured film fan’s attention. Lengthy though it may be at 2 ½ hours, ‘Fall’ never drags due to the intensity of the drama although there is an ere of familiarity to the project as a whole. One can also argue that there are a few plot elements (like the recorded argument) that feel a bit too convenient for storytelling purposes. Still, what it may lack in originality it more than makes up for in character. Through flashbacks, recordings, and scenes in the present, Triet and Harari really dig into the psyche of both Sandra and Daniel who are both experiencing their own psychological crisis. If you’re looking for closure or absolutely crave it, you won’t get that here. It’s an open-ended film that challenges you to think about what may or may not have happened and how it affects the characters.
On the subject of the cast, Sandra Hüller had herself a banner year in 2023 between this and the haunting masterpiece that is “The Zone Of Interest.” Not only does she solidify herself as one of the best actresses around, but she has such a dynamic screen presence. Whether she’s speaking or not, she manages to say so much with her character just with her body language. Milo Machado-Graner (who plays the young Daniel) gives a superb child actor performance. It’s a big role for a young actor to tackle, but he does so with ease. Messi the Border Collie (Snoop) also gives one of the best dog performances of all time. What a good boy!
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.85:1 1080p. How does it look? The 2K digital master is sadly a bit disappointing due to the color noise and fuzzy image quality. Some scenes look better than others, but the picture quality is far below the usual Criterion quality.
Audio Track: French/English 5.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? The audio fares much better here with a crisp 5.1 track. Note: You will have the cover of “PIMP” stuck in your head all over again.
Extras:
* “Anatomy Of A Fall” trailer
* A booklet featuring credits, photos, and an essay by writer/podcaster Alexandra Schwartz.
* 5 deleted/alternate scenes with an intro by Justine Triet and optional commentary by Triet.
* 3 auditions for Milo Machado Gardner (and a callback) and Antoine Reinartz.
* Rehearsals for Milo Machado Graner with casting director Cynthia Arra, Sandra Hüller, Messi the dog, Justine Triet, etc.
* “Behind The Scenes With Snoop”- The fan favorite dog Messi gets his own featurette here alongside animal trainer Laura Martin.
* A new interview with Justine Triet who talks about her career, filmmaking style, spontaneity, and, of course, “Anatomy Of A Fall.”
No comments yet.
Share This Blog
Robert Ham
dmanderson
Andrea
nicklyons1
DVD Corner 
Leave a comment