SECRET WINDOW (2004) **1/2 The tagline is "The most important part of the story is the ending," but that's the worst part of this one so let's get past that first. I would also use the preliminary remarks to emphasize that the horribly absurd plot holes that are apparent from mere moments after the opening credits are never quite made smooth, but they aren't gaping like that either. It's from a Stephen King, and there are lots of things to like about it. Johnny Depp is surprisingly credible as a dye-blond slightly emasculated writer, which is an achievement in itself. I mean, yeah, we knew he could do the writer thing. David Koepp stitches it all together in a way that you do wonder why some is done so much better than the rest, until the realization dawns on you that it was part of the design. I'm not saying that the all-important ending is good, or even that you haven't seen it before, just that if that's what you were always working towards this was the way to do it. Philip Glass seems to take the fact that he's doing a film soundtrack way too seriously, his musical interludes are almost pedestrian with the fine exception of a dream sequence. Watching Depp in one of his more timid gears (I'm not saying a timid gear) face down John Turturro and then Timothy Hutton is interesting on some level, and might even say something about the wells of courage that lie deep within us all, reserved for moments of desperation; but my favorite part of the entire film is a really cool shot of a glass of water.
back to Brilliant Observations on 2120 Films page, or Index
go back home, or send me email
Reviews won't do it any more! I need sustained brilliance! I want to buy your novel!
Internet Movie Database