Anatomy of a Fall (2023)

The first scene is an interview drowned out by a husband upstairs blasting the same steel drum song on loop, and it’s the most passive-aggressive sound design you’ll ever hear. Anatomy of a Fall runs 151 minutes, and you feel the courtroom stretches. The French system lets everyone talk over everyone, and the prosecutor plays smug like it’s his job (it is). None of that matters much next to Sandra Hüller. She plays Sandra as a woman who refuses to perform grief for anyone’s comfort, and you’ll change your mind about her every few scenes. Milo Machado-Graner is astonishing as Daniel, a kid forced to decide what he believes about his own parents. A recorded argument played in court is one of the most uncomfortable scenes in years. Snoop the dog deserves his own trophy. It made $36 million worldwide on a reported $6.7M. A 9.0 because it trusts you to think, and the doubt follows you home. $529 says your dog sighs on the couch tonight and you wonder which side it would testify for.

What works: Sandra Hüller’s unreadable, fiercely intelligent performance and Milo Machado-Graner’s work as Daniel make every scene tense, even the quiet ones.

What doesn’t: At 151 minutes the trial repeats itself, and the prosecutor’s smug routine starts to feel more like a device than a person.

Who it’s for: People who love arguing about a movie on the drive home and don’t need a tidy answer.