Justine Triet’s scintillating French feature “Anatomy of a Fall” was the big winner at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, taking home the coveted Palm d’Or along with the praise of most critics. Picked up by NEON for distribution, the film is on its way to a wider audience who will get to experience what is one of the most riveting courtroom dramas of recent years.

But narrowing Triet’s film down to the courtroom would be a gross disservice. There’s so much more packed into this lengthy but compelling feature. It’s also a well-crafted crime mystery. It’s an insightful analysis of a broken marriage. And it takes a look at a touching yet complex mother-son relationship. There is a lot to unpack along the way. And there’s enough ambiguity throughout to have you second guessing much of what you see. But that’s a testament to Triet’s craftiness and a big part of what makes the film work.

In what is one of the year’s best performances, Sandra Hüller plays Sandra Voyter, a translator living with her novelist husband Samuel (Samuel Theis) and their 11-year-old visually impaired son Daniel (Milo Machado-Graner). The family lives in a cozy mountain chalet at the base of the French Alps. This gorgeous scenic setting will soon become the site of tragic accident, the scene of a crime, or perhaps something else entirely. Trier and production designer Emmanuelle Duplay get us well acquainted with the location – a place under great scrutiny for the first half of the film.

One sunny day Daniel takes his guide dog out for a walk. Upon arriving back home he discovers his father laying in the snow, dead from an apparent fall from the house’s third-floor attic window. Sandra rushes outside after hearing her son’s cries and soon the police are on the scene to begin their investigation. A deep head wound immediately raises suspicions and Sandra finds herself as the chief suspect. Before long she’s officially indicted.

Sandra seeks the help of a savvy lawyer friend named Vincent (Swann Arlaud) who takes her case and begins building her defense. Sandra is adamant that her husband fell. “Yea but nobody’s going to believe that”, Vincent bluntly professes. “I don’t believe that.” The inconclusive autopsy results don’t help. From there new details arise and new evidence comes to light. Fresh revelations prompt an array of new questions about the family and their relationships.

Of the film’s many strengths, perhaps tops on the list is Triet’s extraordinary screenplay. It’s highlighted by her handling of characters, by the depth of her story, and by some of the most engrossing dialogue you’ll come across this year. This comes out most in the courtroom scenes where old baggage is spilled out and shallowly buried secrets are unearthed. Together with Hüller’s superbly calibrated performance, Triet shows small cracks in Sandra’s veneer as her entire life is laid bare by the prosecution. But she holds it together, leaving us with even more uncertainty.

“Anatomy of a Fall” can be a bit cold at times yet it’s not without an emotional current. And while it will never lose your attention, it probably didn’t need to be two-and-a-half hours long. But those are minor beefs especially when considering what Triet has achieved. She has put together a smart and sophisticated story, brought to life through her precise and confident direction. It’s pretty easy to see why it has received so much praise from Cannes and beyond.

VERDICT – 4 STARS