By Paul Hall
Just look. What you see can vary wildly from person to person. Introduce other factors including drugs, alcohol and a variety of stresses, and those perceptions can get even muddier. Such is the case in the new film The Woman in the Window.
Anna Fox (Amy Adams) is living a life of solitude in New York. Past events have taken their toll on the former child psychologist and now she spends her days alone with minimal human interaction.
As Anna peers out her window, she connects with the neighbors in her own way. She knows all about the prayer group across the way and has talked to the real estate agent about the new family who has moved in across from her. She knows how much they paid and will undoubtedly soon know everything she can. After meeting Ethan Russell (Fred Hechinger) the son and Jane Russell (Julianne Moore) the wife, she has a picture of Alistair Russell (Gary Oldman) the father and the family who is across the street. That picture has crystalized and is not a flattering impression for Alistair.
While doing her nightly snooping, she witnesses Jane being abused and ultimately tragically attacked. What did she see in her new neighbors’ dwelling? Was what she thought she saw actually what occurred, or did her variety of medications and alcohol consumption cloud her vision?
It is a film by director Joe Wright (Darkest Hour, Atonement) that feels very Rear Window, Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film starring the incomparable James Stewart, and that is very intentional. The slow burn of Wright’s effort takes a deliberate approach to unveiling pieces of information that fit together like a large jigsaw puzzle for us to assemble. The quiet moments are interrupted with the perception of a woman who struggles with perception.
A cast limited to really about 10 credited onscreen roles makes this a vehicle for Adams. She is called on to carry the entire film and she delivers. Spinning through a number of emotions and moments, Adams makes you believe in Anna in good times and bad, bringing to life the agoraphobic character riddled with fear.
Even though the film relies heavily on Adams, she is surrounded by smaller yet memorable turns from Oldman, Moore, Hechinger and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Together they create the principals in this modern thriller that feels transported from the 1950s and refreshed for our pleasure.
So many of us look at films through different eyes and so many will look at The Woman in the Window differently. I liked its style and the beauty of the setting and appreciated Adams for everything she brought to the table. What you see may not always be what you get, but with Adams you are bound to get excellence.
Paul’s Grade: B
The Woman in the Window
Rated R
Stars Amy Adams, Fred Hechinger, Gary Oldman, Julianne Moore
Director: Joe Wright