(**1/2)
Sandra (Sandra Hüller), a successful novelist, stands accused of murder. Past arguments, physical altercations and infidelities—with women—point prosecutors her way. It all happens because her husband (Samuel Theis), a cranky eccentric far-less-successful writer, fell or was pushed from an attic studio to his death. His body lies in a pool of blood on the cold white snow below. A lasting image. One that anchors the entire film.
Nice premise. Pity the journey the investigation takes audiences on is not nearly as captivating as the exploration of a competitive, combustible marriage that worked until it didn’t. Watching a famous author on the witness stand being cross examined about her love and sex life brings up a lot of questions about up-and-down marital dynamics, strained relationships and co-parenting. Heady discussions that far exceed the normal realm of ordinary suspense or courtroom drama films.
Writer/director Justine Triet’s thoughtful parable is set in the French Alps and runs on longer, at 2h 30m, than it should (editor Laurent Sénéchal). Long after it has made its points. The inclusion of a blind 11-year-old son (Milo Machado Graner) into the mix adds a needed wild card dimension. It would seem like Sandra was being railroaded, but in France, this is how the law works. Curiously, the courtroom antics also outshine the investigation.
The lead character brings some of the conflict on herself. She’s unaware, very allusive and almost oblivious to the gravity of her situation. She’s cautioned: “You need to perceive yourself the way others perceive you.” Audiences may hope there is a big payoff for the time they invest in learning the minutia of French police investigations and courtroom procedures. The ending may or may not please them. If this film had been created or nurtured by the late writer/director Sidney Lumet (Q&A, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead) it might have had the dramatic flourish it lacks.
Yet, Triet’s perceptive views on marriage stick to the ribs. The performances do too. Hard to believe this thoughtful but emotionally cold drama won Cannes’s prestigious 2023 Palme d’Or. It’s good but not crown-worthy.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTrsp5BMloA
For more information about the New York Film Festival go to https://www.filmlinc.org/nyff2023/
Visit Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com