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SECRET WINDOW (2004) (***)

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This psychological thriller from Stephen King presents a common protagonist for the writer — an author whose mental state is challenged. Based on a short story from King's collection FOUR PAST MIDNIGHT, writer/director David Koepp crafts his best directorial effort after writing scripts for such films as JURASSIC PARK, CARLITO'S WAY, SPIDER-MAN and PANIC ROOM.

Mort Rainey (Johnny Depp, ED WOOD) is a successful writer, who finds himself confronted by a man named John Shooter (John Turturro DO THE RIGHT THING), who claims that Mort stole his story. If this isn't enough to deal with, Mort is going through a divorce from his wife Amy (Monica Bello, THE COOLER), who he caught having an affair with Ted Milner (Timothy Hutton, ORDINARY PEOPLE). Mort is depressed and sleeps a lot. He talks to his dog and himself and begins to drink and smoke again. All of this is exaggerated by the increasingly creepier behavior of John Shooter. Eventually, Mort hires P.I. Ken Karsch (Charles S. Dutton, GOTHIKA) to find out more info on Shooter. All of this just makes Mort more and more paranoid.

The twist in the end cannot be predicted, somewhat, but it's not all that original. What really makes the film work is the wonderful performance of Johnny Depp. He really sells the character and his sly, sardonic jabs at Ted are quite funny. His disheveled look with his rat's nest hairstyle and tattered bathrobe fit the character's personality and mental state perfectly. Additionally, Turturro brings the right subtle intensity to his role, making his boogieman scarier because he seems plausible. His simple clothes, wide-brimmed hat, Southern drawl and his ability to being lurking around any corner make him seem like an Amish Michael Myers.

The only thing that I question about the film is whether it's rewatchable. I like films where our understanding of what the story is about changes after they are watched the first time, such as SWIMMING POOL. However, this film's twist changes may ruin repeat viewings for reasons I will not reveal.

So in the end, I enjoyed watching it the first time so I'll recommend it. But knowing what I know, I don't know how the film will hold up. For the King canon of films, this one falls on the good side unlike so many, which have skidded off the road into clichés and cheese. Koepp keeps his one on track with a steady style using the locations effectively. Moreover, Depp makes most everything he is in worth at least one watch.

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Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks