The Complexity of Canines: Discussing 'Anatomy of a Fall' - Waggel Cinema Series

Introducing the Waggel Cinema Series, where we combine our passion for pets with the art of film and explore the movies that left lasting impressions on us not only as cinemagoers but as pet owners, too.

Each month, we’ll dissect a film that captured our attention, beginning with ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ and the canine talent that is Messi, otherwise known as Snoop. This exploration contains spoilers, and yes, we discuss that heartbreaking scene.

As the winner of Best Original Screenplay at the 2024 Oscars, ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ (Justine Triet, 2023) was a film that got people talking. Personally, I’m still thinking about it months after watching it.

The film follows Sandra, a woman suspected of killing her husband after he’s found dead outside the family home in suspicious circumstances. The only visual witness to this traumatic incident? Snoop, the dog who assists her blind son, Daniel.

However, Snoop is more than a ‘dog actor’ with a small footnote at the end of the credits. His character plays a pivotal role in bringing suspense and emotional depth to the plot, the likes of which I don’t think I’ve ever seen from an ‘acting’ animal.

In this article, we’re taking a closer look at Snoop's importance and how he signifies the themes of truth, family, memory and perspective more than any human character in the film.

Playing a significant role in the narrative and thematic development of the story means Snoop is vital to the plot for many reasons, but let’s begin with arguably the most unignorable factor - being a key witness to the tragedy that unfolds in the first act of the film.

As the only non-human character in ‘Anatomy of a Fall’, Snoop is a silent witness, not only to the accident but to the events that lead up to it taking place. His insight into the volatile family dynamic helps us, as viewers, to understand the underlying tensions and complexities surrounding Sandra and her husband Samuel’s relationship.

The only child of the couple, Daniel, seeks an emotional connection from Snoop when his parents are unable to offer it. Snoop’s subsequent behaviour around both Sandra and Daniel after the incident is also used as a narrative device to help audiences attempt to interpret the events that have unfolded. We don’t know exactly what Snoop saw or what he witnessed in relation to Samuel’s death, which further plays into the film's wider theme of subjective truth, especially when we see scenes of Sandra being questioned by the prosecution in court. Though on paper, Snoop appears to be just a family pet, his behaviour and actions hold the key to understanding the circumstances surrounding Samuel’s mysterious death.

Because Daniel is blind, Snoop’s purpose becomes more than that of a pet but someone with whom he can connect on a level deeper than physicality. The bond between Daniel and Snoop runs deep and allows the boy to seek comfort and stability amidst the chaos of his father’s death and the subsequent uncomfortable and quite literally re-traumatising legal battle that ensues.

The bond between the two is so strong that it influences Daniel’s perspective on his mother’s innocence or guilt - something that we, the audience, are also unsure of. During the trial, Daniel feels distant from his mother, yet the director uses Snoop to explore how a child's emotional attachments can complicate their further understanding of the complexities surrounding adult conflicts.

Because of this, Snoop's position as a witness is used to influence the legal case and the perception of both the jury and the audience. Throughout the film, Snoop’s function as a narrative device keeps us guessing the outcome of the trial. We understand that he has potentially seen something crucial to the incident, which makes us pay close attention to his behaviour and actions. As he is closer to Daniel than Sandra, we start to doubt her innocence or at least question it. This could also be seen as a red herring, a purposeful diversion of our attention away from more significant clues. However you want to look at it, using Snoop as a constant throughout the film helps to underscore themes of uncertainty and the elusive nature of the real truth.

The director uses Snoop as the only character who contrasts with the bleak and questionable landscape of the film’s human characters. As a dog, we know Snoop cannot be tainted by the lies, manipulation, and hidden motives that drive the human drama. This beacon of innocence, paired with the court revelations surrounding Sandra and Samuel’s dysfunctional relationship, continues throughout the film to emphasise the complexity and moral ambiguity of human life and the stress this places on Daniel and his feelings towards his mother and father.

Simply put, Snoop remains the only innocent party as the other characters become entangled in questionable legal and moral dilemmas. One of the most emotionally charged scenes that perfectly highlights this is when Daniel purposefully poisons Snoop. This scene is arguably the most crucial in the entire film, taking Snoop’s symbolic and narrative importance to a whole new level.

In an act of desperation and tragedy, Daniel overdoses Snoop on aspirin. Whilst this is done to prove a theory Daniel clings to, metaphorically, it provides something even bigger - the betrayal towards his beloved dog acts as a powerful symbol of the breakdown of trust within the family and illustrates how the trauma and turmoil have infected every aspect of the family’s life, leading to actions that are out of character, even for a child.

Throughout the film, Snoop’s well-being and behaviour are closely tied to the emotional climate of the household. When Daniel poisons Snoop, it reveals just how deeply the boy has been affected by the family’s situation. Snoop’s importance lies in how his fate is directly linked to the emotional and psychological states of the characters, particularly Daniel. The decision to harm Snoop is not just an act against the dog but a symbolic act against the family unit itself. It demonstrates how the escalating tension and unresolved issues within the family have led to a loss of compassion and care, even towards a loyal pet, though Daniel intended to prove a theory.

Ultimately, the poisoning of Snoop acts as a catalyst in the narrative, forcing the characters - and the audience - to confront the extent of Daniel’s emotional suffering. It serves as a wake-up call for the seriousness of the psychological damage inflicted by the family’s turmoil. Snoop’s suffering becomes a critical moment that highlights the need for resolution and healing within the family.

The poisoning complicates the audience's perception of Daniel and the broader ethical landscape of the film, emphasising that in such a fraught environment, even the most innocent can suffer due to the complexities of human emotion and conflict.

Snoop’s presence in the film is also tied to the exploration of truth and guilt. His role as a silent witness to the events surrounding Samuel’s death and his poisoning by Daniel reflects the film’s deeper themes of hidden truths and unspoken guilt. The dog’s fate becomes intertwined with the unresolved issues and secrets that the characters are grappling with, making Snoop a key figure in the unfolding drama.

In summary, the poisoning of Snoop in ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ underscores the dog's symbolic importance in the film. Snoop represents innocence, loyalty, and emotional stability - all of which are shattered by the family’s dysfunction. His fate powerfully reflects the emotional and psychological turmoil within the family while also acting as a catalyst for narrative and thematic development. Snoop’s role is essential in highlighting the tragic consequences of the character’s actions and the moral complexities that drive the film’s story.

Overall, Snoop is an anchor in the film’s chaos, even grounding Sandra in the film’s final moments where we see the two laying on the couch together, a scene representative of the deep breath we’ve been wanting to let out for the duration of the film. In this final scene, we see Snoop, after everything he’s witnessed and been through, remaining unconditionally loyal to his family, no matter how dysfunctional they may be. Snoop personifies the ultimate canine kindness of love and forgiveness and proves, once again, that he is more than just a pet.