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    Movie Review

    Riveting French film Anatomy of a Fall is not your usual whodunit

    Alex Bentley
    Oct 25, 2023 | 2:17 pm

    The majority of filmmakers like to give their viewers concrete answers, especially when it comes to stories involving a crime. But that is not the approach taken in Anatomy of a Fall, a riveting new film from French writer/director Justine Triet.

    Right from the start, Triet and co-writer Arthur Harari play with perspective in sussing out the death of Samuel Maleski (Samuel Theis), who’s found dead from a head wound outside his French chalet by his blind son, Daniel (Milo Machado Graner), and his wife, Sandra (Sandra Hüller).

    Despite being in the house at the time of Samuel's fall from somewhere in the house’s upper stories, Sandra claims no knowledge of what happened to him. Authorities are skeptical of her ignorance, and charge her with murder. Represented by her friend/lawyer Vincent Renzi (Swann Arlaud) at the trial, Sandra continues to proclaim her innocence, and the prosecution does their best to pick apart her story, even putting Daniel on the stand.

    At no point in the film’s 152-minute running time do Triet and Harari tip the scales in favor of one point of view over another. Instead, the film lives fully up its title, fully examining the circumstances leading up to Samuel’s death, as well as the somewhat turbulent life the family of three led. The film begins with Sandra being interviewed about her work as a writer, a seemingly benign scene that takes on extreme importance as the film goes along (a deafening steel drum version of 50 Cent’s “P.I.M.P.,” of all things, plays a crucial part).

    While the accident/crime is what the story revolves around, much of what makes the movie so interesting is that Triet only deals in the aftermath and, occasionally, flashbacks to before the incident. That and multiple other aspects are subject to lots of speculation in court, but it’s the lack of clarity that keeps the viewer engaged. In one of the film’s best scenes, we are shown most of an argument between Samuel and Sandra that exists only in audio form for those in the court, but when things become truly heated, Triet goes back to the court for audio only, leaving everyone just guessing as to what actually happened in that room.

    Other small details color and enrich the story. While both Samuel and Sandra are writers, Sandra’s success – perhaps at the expense of Samuel – causes a rift. Daniel going blind following him being hit by a motorcycle has also been a source of strain. But one aspect unique to this family and setting is the use of different languages. Samuel is French and Sandra is German, but they mostly use English with Daniel, and Sandra using English in court raises the ire of the French officials.

    The acting in the film is also top-notch. Hüller plays her character in such a way that she can be read as both conniving and completely honest, a paradox that suits the story perfectly. Graner pulls off a tricky part very well, showing a skill level beyond his years. The courtroom scenes pop thanks to the performances of Arlaud and Antoine Reinartz, each of whom makes their case seem plausible.

    Anatomy of a Fall is not so much a whodunit, but a deep dive into how and why such a thing ever happened in the first place. It’s a great family drama, a great courtroom movie, and a great film overall, and deserves to be on the list of the best of the year.

    ---

    Anatomy of a Fall opens in select theaters on October 27.

    Samuel Theis, Sandra H\u00fcller, and Milo Machado Graner in Anatomy of a Fall
      

    Photo courtesy of Neon

    Samuel Theis, Sandra Hüller, and Milo Machado Graner in Anatomy of a Fall.

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    Movie Review

    Dark comedy Friendship covers male bonding with copious cringing

    Alex Bentley
    May 16, 2025 | 4:16 pm
    Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd in Friendship
    Photo courtesy of A24
    Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd in Friendship.

    Comedian Tim Robinson has gained a cult following thanks to series like Detroiters and I Think You Should Leave, in which his brand of cringe comedy is on full display. The former Saturday Night Live writer/performer has had a few small movie roles over the years, but he’s now getting his first starring role in the off-kilter Friendship.

    Robinson plays Craig, a mild-mannered suburbanite with a wife, Tami (Kate Mara) and son, Steven (Jack Dylan Grazer). Craig has a boring life that involves little more than going to his middle manager job while wearing the same clothes day after day, anticipating the next Marvel movie, and helping Tami out with her at-home floral business.

    He gets a jolt of energy when Austin (Paul Rudd) moves into the neighborhood. The two men seem to hit it off, with Austin - a weatherman at a local TV channel - even taking Craig on a couple of impromptu adventures. But when Craig commits a couple of faux pas at a group gathering at Austin’s house, their bond starts to fracture.

    Even though the film is written and directed by Andrew DeYoung, it’s clear that Robinson had a big influence on the style of comedy it features. There are no big set pieces with a slew of jokes coming one after another. Instead, the film forces the audience to try to vibe with the very particular type of wavelength it’s giving off, one that could almost be called anti-comedy for the way the laughs come out of left field.

    The 100-minute film is full of random comedic moments, like Steven kissing Tami on the lips, Craig being obsessed with his plain brown clothes, a group sing-along, and more. More often than not, it’s the way Craig reacts to both normal and abnormal situations that gets the laughs. The character is needy and oblivious, two traits that combine to make many of his actions cringeworthy.

    Perhaps most importantly for this type of movie, there are many things in the story that go unexplained or don’t make sense. Seemingly crucial elements are brought up only to fade away just as quickly, while other parts that appeared to be throwaway sections get callbacks later in the film. DeYoung and Robinson are determined to keep the audience on their toes the entire time, never knowing what to expect next.

    Robinson has the perfect face for a story like this, one that’s bland enough to blend into the background but memorable enough to sell the jokes. His demeanor is also excellent, never becoming too expressive, even when he gets angry. With long hair, a mustache, and a certain swagger, Rudd is a great complement to Robinson. Only in a film like this would an everyman like Rudd be considered the suave and cool one.

    There will be some that will see Friendship and come away wondering what the hell they just watched. But anyone who goes in knowing that they’re about to witness a comedy that challenges their sensibilities will likely have a great time.

    ---

    Friendship is now playing in select theaters.

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