The Woman in the Window

 Anyone still shut in after all this time? 

There's a new movie heroine to watch. She's Anna Fox (Amy Adams) of The Woman in the Window, the long delayed thriller that recently premiered on Netflix. She's confined herself to her Manhattan apartment ever since she separated from her husband, Ed (Anthony Mackie). She'd rather watch the outside world than join it. She does get some outside visitors; like her tenant, David (Wyatt Russell) and the new neighbor boy, Ethan Russell (Fred Hechinger). She even meets Ethan's mom, Jane (Julianne Moore), during a dreadful Halloween.

One night, Anna spots Jane getting murdered at the Russell place. When she calls the cops, they're joined by Ethan's dad, Alistair (Gary Oldman), and a living Jane, now played by Jennifer Jason Leigh. Anna's convinced something's wrong and decides to investigate. While everyone doubts her sanity, and with good reason, there's actually something to the mystery. Some spoilers.

Tracy Letts, who adapted A.J. Finn's novel for the screen, also stars as Anna's psychiatrist, Dr. Landy. The final result directed by Joe Wright mostly works. One of the scariest scenes is when Anna tries to confront some obnoxious brats egging her house on that Halloween. Not the brats, but trying to go outside, is the scariest part. Her agoraphobia is a relatable problem these days. Overall, there's some strong character relationships between Anna and everyone else.

It's kneecapped by the film's climax. It's not surprising that the murder actually happened. It's surprising who the murder victim actually is. What is beyond surprising is the actual culprit and his motivations. A likable character turns out to be a one-note serial killer. That twist comes absolutely out of nowhere. The midway revelation of what actually happened to Anna's family was better foreshadowed than that. As in, from scene one. Apparently, the climactic twist was better explained in the novel.

The midway twist is a good leadoff into the acting. Adams as Anna's breakdown once she realizes the truth is a stunning scene. We feel for her as it all comes back to her. Nothing more than wide eyes of shock. As for everyone else, Oldman as Alistair isn't a nice guy; though one can tell it's more from stress than simple cruelty. Russell as David is a good, snarky guy while Ethan is, perhaps, the most sympathetic character. Perhaps. A better character is Brian Tyree Henry as Detective Little, the one on Anna's case.

There's some unexpected panache for this type of film. None more unexpected than seeing an overturned car in snow in Anna's living room. That maybe a first for a movie (is it?). The cinematography by Bruno Debonell shows flashes of searing color amidst Anna's dour apartment. There's also Anna transitioning into the void during the midway twist. The editing by Valerio Bonelli constructs that dreadful Halloween and a brutal climactic fight. It's all set to another great Danny Elfman score.

The Woman in the Window isn't exactly Rear Window or several other similar films we see glimpses of on Anna's TV. It's a mostly good mystery drama with a baffling climactic twist. But it's not that boring. The inciting murder happens a half-hour into its 100 minutes. Its central performance makes the wait bearable. So see it if you have nothing else to do. See anything else if you do.