It’s disheartening when a movie sets its sights on something significant but falls short. That's what happened with Justine Triet’s newest film, which aims to be a suspenseful thriller but feels more like bland food that’s gone cold. This crime investigation and courtroom drama centers around the suspicious death of an unsuccessful writer (Samuel Theis) who dies after falling from his chalet, prompting questions about whether it was suicide or foul play. His wife, also a successful author (Sandra Hüller), becomes the main person of interest. Despite having a promising setup, the film drags on too long, has excessive dialogue and lacks energy, presenting a detached and impersonal story with characters that don’t inspire any feeling of connection or sympathy. It's essentially a “who did it” that feels like an extended exercise in "who cares." The screenplay is to blame; it tries to emulate the intensity of classic courtroom dramas like “Anatomy of a Murder” (1959), but fails to create the necessary suspense, intrigue and audience involvement. The carefully planned script seems artificial and unoriginal from beginning to end, particularly during the trial scenes, which examine various potential reasons and explanations—including infidelity, plagiarism, and past suicide attempts—relying on often-unbelievable guesses to move a legal case that likely shouldn't have gone to court at all. Furthermore, the double meaning of the film’s title is so apparent that any hope for subtlety or depth disappears quickly once the problems in the couple’s relationship become clear. While Sandra Hüller delivers a good performance, it isn’t enough to save a movie with lofty goals that ultimately miss the mark. I can't understand why this release has received so much attention during awards season, especially considering how dull and disappointing it is. There are many other films in this genre that are more deserving of your time; choose one of those instead and skip this one—it truly deserves to be passed over.

Source on TMDB