Movie Review: The Woman in the Window (2021)

The Woman in the Window (2021) directed by Joe Wright

Anna Fox (Amy Adams) is a child psychologist who has been having a hard time for the past ten months. She's been separated from her husband (Anthony Mackie) and their daughter and has developed agoraphobia, fear of leaving her house. Her psychologist (Tracy Letts) is having a hard time with her since they can't get the medications right and she is uncooperative. Also, she drinks, which is a bad mixture with the drugs. She watches old movies and various neighbors' windows. A new family moves in across the street. The fifteen-year old son Ethan Russell (Fred Hechinger) comes over one night to drop off a gift from his mom. They have an awkward conversation and she suspects the family has difficulties. Later, a woman (Julianne Moore) comes over asking about the boy and the two women start off awkwardly but eventually bond as the woman explains her difficulties with Alastair (Gary Oldman), Ethan's hot-headed father. Once she leaves, Alastair Russell comes over asking about his wife and warning Anna to stay away from his family. After some more booze and pills, Anna hears shouting and sees an argument happening in the house across the street. She sees the woman get stabbed and frantically calls 911. Anna forces her self out of the house and tries to cross the street only to pass out as she reaches the pavement. She wakes up with Alastair over her and some police officers in her home. They are investigating the call and have a hard time putting things together. When she explains that the wife was stabbed, a woman (Jennifer Jason Leigh) steps forward and says she is Jane Russell. Anna has a hard time processing this (as does the viewer) and the movie continues on as she tries to unravel what's really going on. Is she hallucinating or did a murder really happen?

The movie starts off looking like a Rear Window clone (it's even one of the movies she watches) but veers off in a different direction since Anna has a lot more problems than Jimmy Stewart's character had. Amy Adams gives a solid, believable performance that has the viewer on her side even when she is obviously wrong. Some of the twists are hard to believe, including unfortunately the big reveal at the end of what's really going on. The movie is a weak B-level thriller. Don't expect Rear Window.

Slightly recommended.