'Anatomy of a Fall' Review | Magnificent courtroom drama? or just another one of Oscar's sham!

"Anatomy of a Fall" is a film that plunges deep into the murky waters of human morality, legal ethics, and the fragility of truth. Directed by french filmmaker Justine Triet, this courtroom drama unfolds with a firm gaze, dissecting the subtleties of a high-profile trial with surgical precision. The film's most compelling aspects lies in its courtroom scenes. Triet masterfully captures the tension and complexity of legal proceedings, showcasing the winding dance between prosecution and defense. The courtroom becomes a battleground of words and emotions in this drama as it expels out variant thoughts among the minds of audiences whether to believe what is being shown or to believe an outcome of the case which is the opposite of the latter. The script does not offer a contrary side of the case in form of any character development or back-end but only leaves a challenge for viewers to question their own beliefs and biases, which however, at times, makes the pacing in these scenes feels slightly sluggish, detracting from the overall intensity of the narrative.

Cinematographically, "Anatomy of a Fall" is a visual feast. Cinematographer Simon Beaufils paints each frame with a palette of muted tones and stark contrasts, mirroring the moral ambiguity that suffuse the story. From sweeping aerial shots of the cityscape to intimate close-ups to over the shoulder shots, every frame is infused with a sense of anxiety and uncertainty. The use of lighting and shadows adds depth to the film's atmosphere, heightening the sense of drama and intrigue. Filming in destinations like Maurienne, Grenoble etc. did increased the intensity of the story as places like these offered spacious and blank backgrounds so that the characters or objects in focus would look more contrasting. 

The movie did great numbers at the box office and made an impression by entering the Oscars and winning one too for best original screenplay which is certainly deserving that too being a foreign cinema but was it worth being nominated as the best film?, beacuse the base plot of the story where - a married couple has differences in their relationship turning into toxicity and ending up one being killed or dead makes the other partner a perfect suspect for the indecisive crime leading to a courtroom case; isn't something contemporary which has not been seen before in different movies like 'The Mauritinian', 'Kramer Vs. Kramer' etc. The film does lack an openely other side of the court-case  which might make a lot of viewers feel disconnected or bland towards story escalation.

"Anatomy of a Fall" does stand out from other legal dramas in sense of screenplay, cinematography and filming which makes it a thought-provoking exploration of justice, morality, and the human condition. While it stumbles occasionally in its pacing and character development, the film's compelling narrative, striking visuals, and powerhouse performances make it a intriguing cinematic experience. Thus writing a story with a straight forward judgement and hinting the contrary on the beliefs  of audiences might seem as a loose end to some but to some this made it a tour de force.