Anatomy of a Fall
Welcome back to Bad Dads Film Review! This week we’re taking a tumble — both literally and metaphorically — as we break down our Top 5 Falls in Movies and TV, followed by a closer look at the slow-burning, Palme d'Or-winning courtroom drama Anatomy of a Fall. No kids' section this time around — just a lot of bodies hitting the floor (sometimes figuratively).
🪂 Top 5 FALLS in Movies & TV
1. The Emperor’s Fall – Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)
One of cinema’s most iconic literal (and evil) falls — Emperor Palpatine is hoisted and hurled into a reactor shaft by Darth Vader in a final redemptive act. It’s the kind of fall that changes galaxies.
2. Gandalf vs. the Balrog – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
“Fly, you fools!” With those final words, Gandalf plummets into darkness — and straight into legend. A mythic fall that gave us one of the all-time great cinematic resurrections.
3. Jordan Belfort’s Moral Collapse – The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
A metaphorical plummet through greed, drugs, and corruption. Belfort's descent isn't physical — it’s spiritual, legal, and emotional. The crawling-to-his-car scene alone is a masterclass in controlled chaos.
4. Mufasa’s Death – The Lion King (1994)
A literal and emotional gut-punch. Betrayed by Scar, Mufasa’s fall is seared into a generation’s memory. Animated or not, this is Shakespearean tragedy at its finest.
5. Don Draper’s Opening Descent – Mad Men (2007–2015)
The falling silhouette from the show’s intro is as stylish as it is symbolic — a visual metaphor for a man with everything on the outside, but nothing stable to cling to.
⚖️ Main Feature: Anatomy of a Fall (2023)
Directed by Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall is a razor-sharp French legal drama that plays out like a psychological whodunnit. When Sandra Voyter’s husband is found dead at the base of their chalet, suspicion falls squarely on her. Was it suicide, an accident, or something more sinister?
Starring Sandra Hüller in a gripping, restrained performance, the film explores themes of truth, perception, and the inherently theatrical nature of the courtroom. What begins as a case about a fall becomes a dissection of a marriage, of creative partnership, and of the way we construct narratives to make sense of human behaviour.
There are echoes of Gone Girl and Scenes from a Marriage here, but Triet brings her own cold precision and emotional ambiguity. It's slow, yes — but deeply rewarding, especially if you like your mysteries wrapped in moral complexity rather than plot twists.
Whether tumbling into a chasm or spiralling through reputation and doubt, this episode is a deep dive into cinematic collapses of every kind. Just remember — it’s not the fall that kills you, it’s the landing. 🎬🪂👨👧👦🍿
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Until next time, we remain...
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