The Woman in the Window
The Woman in the Window
Starring Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Fred Hechinger, Julianne Moore
Directed by Joe Wright
Starring Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Fred Hechinger, Julianne Moore
Directed by Joe Wright
There were a slew of films that were slated to be released in 2020, but due to the Coronavirus pandemic, they were all pushed back, including "The Woman in the Window," the film adaptation from the best-selling 2018 novel by the same name. While many films have suffered from this move - and this film is no exception - "The Woman in the Window" seems more timely now than it would've been if it was released when it was supposed to. The story of a woman shut up in her home all alone as she watches her neighbors seems more relevant now with the lockdowns we all went through in the last year, adding a deeper sense of meaning to an otherwise so-so film that heralds direct comparisons to the classic (and unbeatable) Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window."
Anna Fox (Amy Adams) is a child psychiatrist, but also suffers from agoraphobia after a tragic event that leaves her as a shut in inside her multi-layered Boston home. With only her cat for company, Anna finds solace in classic movies, wine, and spying on her neighbors through her windows. She learns that the Russell family is moving in next door, and befriends the shy, reserved son Ethan (Fred Hechinger), and then meets his mother, Jane (Julianne Moore), and his stern father Alistair (Gary Oldman). One night while watching the neighbors she witnesses Jane being murdered, and calls the police - but when they arrive, Alistair also comes and so does his wife, Jane (Jennifer Jason Leigh). Confused and distraught, Anna firmly believes that she really witnessed the real Jane's murder, but her memory could be foggy due to the medication she has to take which could cause hallucinations, leading Anna - and the viewers - to find out what is real, and what's inside her head.
I never read the novel the film was based on (something that usually happens to me because I hardly read), and from what I've heard it's a disappointment for those who've read the book, but when does a movie actually exceed a book's expectations? I tend not to compare the two, because they're completely different mediums, and while there were some decent moments in the film, ultimately it served as a throwback to the classic film noir style that delivered in moments but ultimately fell flat in the overall final product.
Six-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams (honestly, she really needs to win one soon) plays Anna Fox, the agoraphobic (meaning she's afraid to leave her house) main character in this Hitchcock-infused thriller mystery, and she once again nails a performance that's more than the sum of its parts. She struggles with the accident that led her to be a shut in, away from her child and estranged husband, as well as not having any friends and only associating with her psychiatrist, but also maintaining a dark sense of humor about the whole thing. As the film progresses she slips more and more into her seemingly delusional state, throwing the audience a few curve balls in an otherwise seemingly linear plot that would've failed in the hands of other actors, but Adams comes with a natural elegance that makes her easily relatable and someone you really want to root for.
The supporting cast serves as the typical Agatha Christie-like characters that you've come to know in countless films of this noir style. Gary Oldman (always a professional, but somewhat overacts here) plays patriarch Alistair Russell, a gruff, no-nonsense businessman who seemingly has a dark side. Fred Hechinger plays the son Ethan, a nice if not eccentric young man who Anna befriends. Wyatt Russell plays Anna's tenant David, who may or may not be hiding some skeletons in his closet. Brian Tyree Henry plays Detective Little, who's trying to investigate a supposed murder that may or may not have ever happened. Then there's Jennifer Jason Leigh and Julianne Moore, who both play matriarch Jane Russell, and both women have very little screen time but chew up the set whenever they're on (Leigh contrasts her Jane as an unemotional, stoic character compared to Moore's more free spirited take on the character). Much like the classic Hitchcock films, these characters come and go as the story progresses, even including the classic "gather everyone in the study as I slowly reveal the murderer" scene.
Director Joe Wright ("Darkest Hour," "The Soloist," "Atonement") crafts a wonderful whodunit thriller by incorporating Anna's house as a character all its own, equal parts vast and confined, and cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel envelops the rooms with showy pinks and depressed blues, signifying Anna's own inner turmoil with depression and guilt that makes the house itself come alive. Danny Elfman conducts a score reminiscent of the noir films of yore, with tense violin strings and tense ascensions that aids effectively in the overall tenseness of the film.
Living in an apartment complex I often find myself looking in other tenant's windows and wondering what their lives are like (not in a creepy way, I promise), and since everyone has been locked in their homes within the past year, it's understandable why people would want to spy on others just for the offbeat sense of community it offers - to show us that we're really not alone. In this way you truly do feel for Anna, as she admires her neighbors from afar and basically wants to craft a story herself due to her insane boredom (hence why the popularity of streaming services were through the roof last year), and while you're along for the ride eagerly anticipating what happens next, when the final climax hits, it's more a sad trombone than a loud crescendo, ending on a predictable note that - while not taking away from what happened before - leaves you feeling like you'd rather watch your neighbors instead of this movie.
Calling back to classic Hitchcock noir style, "The Woman in the Window" has effective moments due to its strong lead performance and eerie setting, but ultimately falls flat in its subpar denouement.
The Score: B+
Anna Fox (Amy Adams) is a child psychiatrist, but also suffers from agoraphobia after a tragic event that leaves her as a shut in inside her multi-layered Boston home. With only her cat for company, Anna finds solace in classic movies, wine, and spying on her neighbors through her windows. She learns that the Russell family is moving in next door, and befriends the shy, reserved son Ethan (Fred Hechinger), and then meets his mother, Jane (Julianne Moore), and his stern father Alistair (Gary Oldman). One night while watching the neighbors she witnesses Jane being murdered, and calls the police - but when they arrive, Alistair also comes and so does his wife, Jane (Jennifer Jason Leigh). Confused and distraught, Anna firmly believes that she really witnessed the real Jane's murder, but her memory could be foggy due to the medication she has to take which could cause hallucinations, leading Anna - and the viewers - to find out what is real, and what's inside her head.
I never read the novel the film was based on (something that usually happens to me because I hardly read), and from what I've heard it's a disappointment for those who've read the book, but when does a movie actually exceed a book's expectations? I tend not to compare the two, because they're completely different mediums, and while there were some decent moments in the film, ultimately it served as a throwback to the classic film noir style that delivered in moments but ultimately fell flat in the overall final product.
Six-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams (honestly, she really needs to win one soon) plays Anna Fox, the agoraphobic (meaning she's afraid to leave her house) main character in this Hitchcock-infused thriller mystery, and she once again nails a performance that's more than the sum of its parts. She struggles with the accident that led her to be a shut in, away from her child and estranged husband, as well as not having any friends and only associating with her psychiatrist, but also maintaining a dark sense of humor about the whole thing. As the film progresses she slips more and more into her seemingly delusional state, throwing the audience a few curve balls in an otherwise seemingly linear plot that would've failed in the hands of other actors, but Adams comes with a natural elegance that makes her easily relatable and someone you really want to root for.
The supporting cast serves as the typical Agatha Christie-like characters that you've come to know in countless films of this noir style. Gary Oldman (always a professional, but somewhat overacts here) plays patriarch Alistair Russell, a gruff, no-nonsense businessman who seemingly has a dark side. Fred Hechinger plays the son Ethan, a nice if not eccentric young man who Anna befriends. Wyatt Russell plays Anna's tenant David, who may or may not be hiding some skeletons in his closet. Brian Tyree Henry plays Detective Little, who's trying to investigate a supposed murder that may or may not have ever happened. Then there's Jennifer Jason Leigh and Julianne Moore, who both play matriarch Jane Russell, and both women have very little screen time but chew up the set whenever they're on (Leigh contrasts her Jane as an unemotional, stoic character compared to Moore's more free spirited take on the character). Much like the classic Hitchcock films, these characters come and go as the story progresses, even including the classic "gather everyone in the study as I slowly reveal the murderer" scene.
Director Joe Wright ("Darkest Hour," "The Soloist," "Atonement") crafts a wonderful whodunit thriller by incorporating Anna's house as a character all its own, equal parts vast and confined, and cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel envelops the rooms with showy pinks and depressed blues, signifying Anna's own inner turmoil with depression and guilt that makes the house itself come alive. Danny Elfman conducts a score reminiscent of the noir films of yore, with tense violin strings and tense ascensions that aids effectively in the overall tenseness of the film.
Living in an apartment complex I often find myself looking in other tenant's windows and wondering what their lives are like (not in a creepy way, I promise), and since everyone has been locked in their homes within the past year, it's understandable why people would want to spy on others just for the offbeat sense of community it offers - to show us that we're really not alone. In this way you truly do feel for Anna, as she admires her neighbors from afar and basically wants to craft a story herself due to her insane boredom (hence why the popularity of streaming services were through the roof last year), and while you're along for the ride eagerly anticipating what happens next, when the final climax hits, it's more a sad trombone than a loud crescendo, ending on a predictable note that - while not taking away from what happened before - leaves you feeling like you'd rather watch your neighbors instead of this movie.
Calling back to classic Hitchcock noir style, "The Woman in the Window" has effective moments due to its strong lead performance and eerie setting, but ultimately falls flat in its subpar denouement.
The Score: B+
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