WE BELIEVE YOU from Belgian filmmakers Charlotte Devillers and Arnaud Dufeys is the most compelling legal drama I have seen since Anatomy of a Fall.
Myriem Akheddiou gives an earth-shattering performance as the mother of two fighting to retain custody of her kids after her ex-husband, who is accused of sexually assaulting his son, takes her to court. On her face you can see the helplessness against a broken justice system that forces her and her children to relive traumatic events time after time.
The eerie minimalist score that is only used in the beginning and end signals the intensity of what we’re about to witness and the 4:3 aspect ratio emphasizes the horror of being confined in a small space with a monster.
The hour-long courtroom scene was shot in one continuous take with real lawyers, who never acted before, and is absolutely breathtaking. Devillers and Dufeys deliver an incredibly realistic film, which is all the more disturbing because of it.
