The Woman In The Window [2021] ★★
I really really wanted to like this Hitchcockian thriller, courtesy of director Joe Wright. Sadly, and after a solid start, the film veers towards cliche territory and never truly delivers a memorable twist. Amy Adams is good as always, playing an agoraphobic woman living alone in her New York apartment. In true Hitchcock fashion, she witnesses a murder one night, but no one seems to believe her, including the police. The best thing I can say about this thriller is that it’s wonderfully shot and directed. Wright is obviously inspired by the master of suspense, and his film is an homage to many of Hitch’s classics, including “Rear Window” (no surprises there). But unlike “Rear Window”, “The Woman in the Window” lacks suspense and fails to leave an impact. Adams is surrounded by a first rate cast that includes Gary Oldman, Julianne Moore, Jennifer Jason Jason Leigh and Anthony Mackie. Too bad they’re all wasted in a murder mystery with very little to offer.
I didn’t think I’d care for a recent Netflix release, but “I Care a Lot” knows its target audience and delivers exactly what you would expect from it. Rosamund Pike is good as always, playing a brilliant con artist who poses as a legal guardian for the elderly in order to drain their savings. Her latest victim? A wealthy retiree (Dianne Wiest) with no living heirs or family. Or so we thought. This sets the tone for an entirely watchable comedy/thriller that doesn’t pretend to be more than it is, but still manages to offer a few twists and turns as we go along. If this sounds like your cup of tea, then you’ll probably have a good time here. It’s not the best thing you’ll stream this month, but it’s entertaining enough for me to recommend it.
Let’s address the elephant in the room right away: this version of Daphe Du Maurier’s classic book is stylish and well-shot, but it’s nowhere near as good or memorable as Alfred Hitchcock’s 1940 masterpiece (which won an Oscar for Best Picture and propelled Hitch to Hollywood stardom). So yes, this 2020 Netflix movie has some big shoes to fill, and it’s no surprise that it comes up short. If you’re watching the story unfold for the first time, you’ll probably fall for its charm at first, as we follow two newlyweds (Lily James and Armie Hammer) who move to the husband’s beautiful estate of Manderley after a honeymoon in Monte Carlo. Surprise: his ex-wife’s “ghost” still haunts the place. Who was she? How did she die? In Hitchcock’s film, those questions are carefully answered. Here, it’s all over the place at times, leading to a disappointing climax that leaves very little impact. Still, there’s a lot to admire here, from the beautiful costumes to the lavish set designs. Both actors give it their very best, but it’s Kristin Scott Thomas who steals the show as the mysterious Mrs. Danvers.
In this generic Spanish thriller, Mario Casas plays a paramedic who, after a tragic accident that left him paralyzed, begins to suspect that his girlfriend is cheating on him. This is a setup for a cat and mouse game (think Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rear Window”, with Casas wheelchair bound), that sadly leads nowhere. Casas is menacing enough, and the film has some chilling moments, especially early on. But halfway through, it was obvious where the story was headed, and I lost interest as a result. Still, if you’re browsing Netflix for something that doesn’t require a lot of attention, “The Paramedic” might be the title for you. But you should know that it’s nothing that you haven’t seen before.
oseph Gordon-Levitt is on a plane. He plays a young American co-pilot who finds himself dealing with terrorists when his flight from Berlin to Paris is hijacked. Sounds familiar? That’s because you’ve seen movies like “7500” so many times before, from “Turbulence” and “Air Force One” in the 90’s, to “Red Eye” and “Non-Stop” in the 2000’s and 2010’s. The twist here is that all the action takes place in the cockpit, which means it can get claustrophobic at times. Director Patrick Vollrath keeps you on the edge of your seat, at least until the hour mark. There are no real twists and turns in the narrative here, and you can see the ending coming a mile away. Still, it’s Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s committed performance that elevates “7500” above the routine. I don’t think this film was meant to be experienced on the big screen, which is why it goes down much easier from the comfort of your own couch. Just know straight away that it doesn’t have anything new to offer.
This polish thriller currently streaming on Netflix juggles a lot of ideas at once, and at 135 minutes, it can be a bit too much, but it’s not a complete waste. In fact, it’s still entirely watchable, thanks to a solid performance by Maciej Musialowski, who plays a young man trying to find a purpose in life after being dismissed from university for plagiarizing a paper. He becomes involved with extremists on the net, who vow to get rid of anyone trying to ruin Europe and its values. Meanwhile, his infatuation with a young lady turns into obsession, which leads to a series of unpredictable events. Like I said, there’s a lot to digest here, and it’s not always coherent or even intriguing enough, but solid performances and some truly well-directed sequences make “The Hater” worth checking out.
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