Secret Window (2004)

"It's a taught, entertaining motion picture...  James Berardinelli's ReelViews
"Bloody, bone-chilling fun.  Steven Rae, Philadelphia Inquirer

Editor's Note Based on a Stephen King novella, the psychological thriller SECRET WINDOW is reminiscent of an Alfred Hitchcock film. Eccentric author Mort Rainey (Johnny Depp) finds his life spiraling out of control. With a drinking problem and a cigarette habit he can't shake, Mort can barely function when his wife (Maria Bello) leaves him and he abandons his work. In the midst of his anguish, a deranged man, John Shooter, (John Turturro) appears at Mort's New York cabin, claiming that Mort has plagiarized one of his stories. As his wife pushes Mort to finalize their divorce and Shooter systematically destroys his life, he struggles to restore order to an increasingly insane situation. Playing off of Turturro who is superb as the crazed, Gothic Shooter, Johnny Depp shines in his role with a quirky, brilliant performance. The mannerisms he brings to Mort, such as a problem with a clenched jaw, makes the author's descent into madness compelling and believable. With an emphasis on character study over special effects, the chills provided by this film rely on skilled acting and evoke thrillers of earlier generations like PSYCHO and STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, including a shocking twist of an ending.

	Charles Dutton
	Joan Heney
	John Dunn-Hill
	John Turturro
	Johnny Depp
	Len Cariou
	Maria Bello
	Timothy Hutton
	David Koepp - Screenplay
	David Koepp - Director
	Fred Murphy - Cinematographer
	Gavin Polone - Producer
	Jill Savitt - Editor
	Philip Glass, et al. - Original Music By
	Stephen King - Based On Novella By

Entertainment Weekly
"[A]mid all the free-form playfulness, with each actor invited to bring his or her own covered dish of a character interpretation to the party, Depp appears to have his own private ball." 03/19/2004 p.44-5

USA Today
"SECRET WINDOW is a potent psychological thriller bolstered by strong performances and an offbeat sense of humor." 03/19/2004 p.8E

Box Office
"[Depp] provides another one of those quirky, slightly loony performances..." 05/01/2004 p.32

Uncut
"Highly entertaining Stephen King adaptation, stylishly directed..." 11/01/2004 p.160

USA Today 8 of 10
A potent psychological thriller bolstered by strong performances and an offbeat sense of humor. What - Claudia Puig

Christian Science Monitor 8 of 10
Depp gives a smart, subtle performance, and Turturro is terrific as a foe who's both exactly what he - David Sterrit

Chicago Sun-Times 8 of 10
The story is more entertaining as it rolls along than it is when it gets to the finish line. But at - Roger Ebert