Movie Review – The Woman in The Window – Fairly Disappointing
Table of Contents
My Rating – 2.5 out of 5
Plot Summary – The Woman in The Window
The movie is based on the 2018 bestseller novel by A J Finn of the same name, and since I haven’t read the novel I wouldn’t be able to compare or rate how the screen adaptation does, in relation to the novel. The film, in isolation, is brilliant in patches but fails to deliver a wholesome package of thrills and chills. Amy Adams plays the titular character of Dr. Anna Fox with great aplomb, and the performances by the rest of the cast is splendid as well. It’s just that certain elements of the film’s fabric feel off-kilter, and stops it from being a massive success. Now let’s get down to the plot summary…
Dr. Anna Fox is a psychologist, who for an unknown reason, is a mental wreck herself – she consults a psychiatrist for her own treatment. She suffers from Agoraphobia – extreme or irrational fear of entering open or crowded places, of leaving one’s own home, or of being in places from which escape is difficult (as per Dictionary by Google). She remains confined to her dreary Manhattan residence, where her only company is her cat, Punch, and a tenant in her basement David (Wyatt Russell), who is in and out of the flat and adds that mysterious angle to the buildup of the movie’s ambience.
Anna is separated from her husband Ed Fox (Anthony Mackie), who also has custody of her daughter Olivia (Mariah Bozeman), and though their location is unknown, Anna has a conversation with both everyday. Into this dreary, depressing existence of Dr. Anna Fox enter the Russell family, who shift into the apartments opposite Anna’s. Their sixteen year old son Ethan (Fred Hechinger), steps into Anna’s home one day and interactions with him, indicate to Anna that all is not well in the Russell household. Then one evening, Ethan’s mother (Julianne Moore), who Anna presumes to be Jane Russell, walks into Anna’s home, spends a boisterous evening chatting, drinking wine and generally shooting the wind.
A few days later, Anna witnesses Jane being stabbed to death in the Russell home through her window! She calls the police but with their arrival, out comes a surprise! Ethan‘s father, Alistair Russell (Gary Oldman) is incensed at this weird accusation as he confronts Anna with Jane Russell (Jennifer Jason Leigh), who’s perfectly hale and hearty! Anna is flabbergasted, as this is not the Jane she met or saw being murdered!! The police don’t believe her, putting it down to a mentally disturbed woman’s hallucination – particularly when she has been living a solitary confined life, aided through the day by prescription drugs and red wine.
Anna tries to speak with Ethan and get to the truth, but an angry Alistair Russell, screams at her to stay away from his family… With no one to turn to for support, or have anyone who believes her, Anna starts doubting herself as to what she saw and what the reality actually maybe…
Conclusion – Movie Review of The Woman in The Window
Every performance in this movie is noteworthy, even the minuscule ones played by Julianne Moore and Anthony Mackie. Gary Oldman, in the little screen time that he had, stamps his class as an out of control, angry, and controlling husband. Amy Adams, is spectacular as the frumpy, insecure mental wreck of a psychiatric patient and is utterly convincing as the uncertain witness of a supposed crime. If judged on performances alone, this would be a five-star movie, but alas, it is not!
The cinematography is excellent as well, as is the background score and the lighting. They all build up the suspense, the uncertainty and the depressing ambience inside Anna’s apartment, superbly. It’s just that the story hasn’t been stitched together well, and at times seems to be meandering. The narrative looses grip in parts and they are boring to a certain extent, but the sum of all parts is that it is a watchable movie though slightly disappointing in as much that the excellent acting throughout, should have brought in far more commercial and critical acclaim than it actually has.
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