Secret Window (2004) User Reviews (632)

A very well crafted and skilled psychological thriller

[lopcar1993 · 8/10 · 7 October 2009]

I've seen psychological thriller's that try to scare you more than melt your brain, this one I'm proud to say does both. It's a very, very malicious and haunting thrill machine. I t brings the very essence of how horror and Psycho thriller's are suppose to be done, not with over the top gore and CGI, but with old school conventional means.

Secret Window is as sinister as it is smart it rolls along at a very steady pace and brings more to the table than what was required. It shows you what the decent into madness and utter chaos looks like, it shows you the depth and moral ambiguities of a torn man who's lost everything. With that said you can examine the physic of the mind as it cracks under extreme and constant pressure and how your choices do affect who you help, or who you hurt. This film's pace and dark style is meant to reflect horror films of the 40's, 50's, 60's and early 70's before gore became cool but that makes this film such a joy to watch and study. And that makes it a great film, not a good film, a great film.

Johnny Depp( who was fantastic here.) gives a very eccentric and brilliant performance as the conflicted writer Mort Rainey, John Turturro does exceptionally well as the sinister and vicious Shooter and he almost outclasses Depp in this film. Charles S. Dutton does well with the few scenes he's. But the main let down and I think the reason for this film's poor reviews from critics were the bland and very lame performances of Timothy Hutton( he won an Oscar he can do better than this.) and Maria Bello, they really lowered the caliber and class of this film and forced Depp to try harder to make them look good and make there time on screen with him good, but he succeeds and they fail. But Turturro and Depp hold up strong.

Secret Window is a very Keene and captivating psychological/horror thriller that is surefire mind boggling entertainment and out of this world fun. This movie is great rainy day entertainment or any day entertainment for that matter it's just all around a fantastic and mind boggling film that makes you question the sanity of writers and the world they live in ( speaking as one myself.) it brings to question as the thoughts in our mind really our conscious or our selves just speaking out to right the wrongs doe against us It's a film that ask those questions and then you have to answer. All in all Secret Window was a sinister, malicious and thought provoking film that delivers a movie going experience like no other.

More to appreciate than some people realize.

[rjsuno · 8/10 · 8 June 2005]

This is one of the few movies that you will either love or hate. There is no middle ground. The people that have slammed this movie must not have understood a lot of the symbolism. Seriously, some of it is obvious but a lot of it would require you listen to the Director's commentary to catch.

While aspects of the story are predictable, you will never see the last couple minutes coming. Koepp made a film that HE believed in, with a finale that may not sit well with the general public. For this, I applaud him.

As I've noted on the message board, Koepp borrowed a page from Hitchcock's book and relied on our imagination to fill in the gaps during the violent sequences. Some of it is shown but certainly not all. Without question this film tested the limits of the PG-13 rating but Koepp did not take the easy way out and turn this film into an R-rated gore fest. This film proves that PG-13 films can be gritty and poignant.

Depp's performance is amazing, as can be expected. The cinematography is awesome. Watch this film with an open mind, taking to heart each character's motivations.

If you've already seen the film I would strongly suggest you watch the Featurettes and listen to the Director's commentary on the DVD. You may find this to be quite an eye opener.

My Score: 8/10 stars

Relationship Crisis or One Nasty Divorce Story.

[nycritic · 7/10 · 25 March 2005]

The second novella to be adapted from the Stephen King compilation "Four Past Midnight," SECRET WINDOW is one of King's adapted stories that while not being great or especially memorable, somehow manages to tell its premise quite chillingly while maintaining itself closer to B-movie status and (equally) true to its dark core.

The story is actually quite familiar ground: Stephen King commented that while MISERY depicted a writer being held prisoner by a demented ex-nurse and rabid fan who does unspeakable things to him to ensure her favorite character, Misery Chastain, lives on, and THE DARK HALF introduces a Twilight Zone-ish take on a split personality where another author is tormented by a dangerous man, SECRET WINDOW blends both into what results in "the perfect ending" to the missing pages of an apparently plagiarized story. And while the plot is clearly clichéd within every inch of its life, director David Koepp manages to generate some good suspense which allows us to care for this poor chap Mort Rainey (underplayed by Johnny Depp who by doing so makes his character totally human) and fear the rage just underneath John Shooter (a creepy John Turturro), all the while not quite giving us everything in black and white so as to suddenly introduce a left-field turn of events. As a matter of fact, once the "twist" arrives, it seems plausible and even expected, but is even more chilling in the inexorability in which it fulfills itself.

One thing that works in Stephen King's books are his constant uses of internal dialogues which here is finally brought into a great forefront by splitting Rainey into two separate entities and having them talk to each other in a crucial scene. This only intensifies the notion that Rainey is unraveling as a person and will more than likely fall prey to the darkness that seems to be closing in. It's a technique which isn't used often when adapting his novels to movies and which tends to work against suspense, and finally, someone got it right. It never feels too long a movie even though it runs just shy of an hour and three quarters, and this is due to the deft direction. Good suspense, great psychological horror that comes through an incredibly tired plot, and that's good film-making.

A Writer With Problems

[Lechuguilla · 31 January 2009]

Johnny Depp plays Mort Rainey, a writer with wife problems. Mort secludes himself in a wilderness cabin to write. Soon, he gets a visit from a strange Southern mountain man named John Shooter (John Turturro). Throughout most of the plot, Mort tries to deal with this threatening man who won't go away, and confronts his wife and her new lover.

"Secret Window" is a moody, Hitchcockian thriller with a major story twist. Pacing is slow. There's lots of waiting for something to happen, which enhances a sense of foreboding. And Depp's performance is terrific.

With hair that looks like a mop, and a delightfully slovenly appearance, Mort mopes around the cabin, talks to his nearly blind dog, and tries to placate Mr. Shooter. He also spends a lot of time on the phone, mostly with Shooter and with his disconsolate wife.

Casting and acting are fine. Production design is great; love that cabin where Mort lives. Camera work, lighting, special effects, CGI, and editing are all quite good.

Although I liked the film's twist, some viewers will be disappointed with it, perhaps because the underlying idea is not terribly original. The risk for the director is that the entire story hinges on this one twist. If a viewer discovers the twist ahead of time, or finds it unsatisfying for any reason, the viewer likely will render a negative verdict on the entire film.

My only serious complaint with the film is that, at times, the plot discards logic so as to maximize gratuitous violence, the result no doubt of the film's source material, a horror story by Stephen King.

Overall, "Secret Window" is a generally fine thriller, enhanced especially by the splendid performance of Johnny Depp. Just be aware that one's reaction to this film likely will depend on one's perception of the story's major plot twist.

Depp saves the day

[rbverhoef · 6/10 · 23 June 2005]

Director David Koepp has written some nice screenplays ('Carlito's Way', 'Panic Room') and I liked his 'Stir of Echoes'. Here he comes with a thriller based on a Stephen King novel that is not very good but has some qualities. The best quality here is another terrific performance from Johnny Depp. No matter what he does, he succeeds in making a film entertaining even when it should not be.

Depp is a writer named Mort Rainey, recently divorced because his wife (Maria Bello) cheated on him. Now he lives in a cottage near a lake, alone, writing his new book. One day a man rings his bell telling Rainey he has stolen one of his stories. Rainy is unaware of this fact and he can prove it; a magazine printed his short story a couple of years before the man, who is named John Shooter (John Turturro), claims he has written his version. Shooter wants to see this magazine before he believes it, causing quite some trouble in the meanwhile.

This is a film with a secret, something we understand pretty soon. I will not reveal it, but most people will come up with an idea and find out they are right. Even though it has a secret it plays too much like a lot of thrillers we have already seen. Interesting performances (Bello is pretty good as the wive too) and some dry humor does not change that. There is one other thing I liked. Koepp payed some good attention to what David Fincher did with his 'Panic Room' screenplay, especially with the camera. There are some great shots here and together with Depp they make sure 'Secret Window' is not wasted.

"The only thing that matters is the ending" - Well, not quite...

[Just-A-Girl-14 · 6/10 · 9 March 2021]

Here's the thing, I am not a Stephen King fan. I don't like his books or his movies/tv shows adaptations. Every single one turned out to be a huge disappointment. As soon as I see his name I move on to something else because even if (and that's a big if) the story is alright usually the ending is awful. I'm also not a Johnny Depp fan. He's ok in crazy roles like "Alice in Wonderland" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" but other than that I always found him to be a little dull. With that said, I still watched the movie because I was really bored and there wasn't anything better to watch.

To my big surprise, the opposite of what I expected happened. I expected the movie to be interesting and the ending to be awful but as it turned out, the movie was mostly boring (and slow paced) and the ending was alright. I figured it out before Mort did but it explained a lot. Like, for example, if you're being stalked by a crazy dangerous person who killed your dog why won't you use that buttload of money of yours to move out of your remote completely insecure home? Or at least hire someone serious to protect you and not one guy who comes once a day to look under your bed before you go to sleep!

To the movies creators credit, they changed Stephen King's ending. I read the book ending and it was way worse. I definitely prefer the movie ending. With that said, ending is NOT the only thing that matters. Half the movie we watch Johnny Depp doing absolutely nothing (sleeping, eating, staring at his computer) or doing stupid things like listening to Shotter or driving all the way to his ex's house and without taking the magazine. Granted, the ending explains it but it doesn't change the fact that I was mostly bored. So while watchable I can't give it higher than 6/10.

Oh and btw, if a guy is suspected of his wife and her boyfriend/fiancé disappearance I'm pretty sure the cops would take a good look at his property. Especially if it's a big/remote location. That's when you use dogs! The sheriff may be old but he didn't strike me as dumb, but I maybe that's just me.

Decent adaptation of a tough bit of material

[mstomaso · 6/10 · 20 June 2005]

When I first heard that this film was in production, I was frankly very surprised. I have read all of Steve King's work, and "Secret Window, Secret Garden" was never something I felt would make an easy film adaptation. I was even more surprised to hear that Johnny Depp - an actor who rarely mis-steps - was signed for the lead. Now, add both Depp and John Turturro doing deep-south accents, and I'm afraid, you've just disappeared into a mirror through which I could never pass. Yet, here it is. And somehow, they all pull it off. Secret Window is a fairly well made and entertaining shocker, with some amazingly creepy and bizarre performances by Depp and Turturro, and some good eerie camera work and sound. That said, I will cut right to the chase - THIS IS NOT A FEEL-GOOD FILM - so don't come to it looking for straightforward fun, comedy or a happy-go-lucky story. This is hardcore Stephen King, and does not necessarily let anybody off the hook. As with many of the film adaptations of Steve King, this is a film best seen AFTER you read the original work. This film, like so many others, lacks the depth, detail and richness of King's writing, but does relate the story particularly well, and occasionally achieves a literary feel.

This film, like the original story, is a disturbing mystery dealing with the connection between unconscious thought and premeditated murder.

Depp's Mort Rainey is an odd-ball writer undergoing a painful divorce from a wife who he found cheating. He has locked himself away in their vacation cabin deep in the woods, taking long naps, smoking, and apparently experiencing writer's block. Soon enough, "Shooter" (Turturro), an obsessive sociopath fan shows up. Mr. Shooter claims that Rainey stole one of his stories, and demands that he re-publish it with Shooter's name and that he "fix the ending." In Shooter's version of the story, the protagonist kills his wife and buries her in her 'secret garden, which can be seen from the 'secret window' of their house. Mr Shooter, it seems, will go to any length to ensure that his will is carried out, and is particularly adept at connecting Mr Rainey, but not himself, to all of his dirty little deeds.

Depp plays the down and out writer well, appearing alternatingly drunk, depressed, anxious, confused, desperate and angry. Depp deserves credit for handling this very difficult role decently, however, this is not his usual flawless performance. Turturro is especially creepy as the monotone, murderous, and obsessive Mr Shooter. These two succeed in transforming every scene in which either of them appear, with the help of some clever directing and camera work, into something surreal and memorable. One of the most convincing aspects of this film is the way it shifts from the otherworldly weirdness of these two to the very ordinary lives of all of the other characters. The plot becomes somewhat transparent about 2/3rds of the way through the film, but, as with some of King's more predictable works, it's not what happens but how it happens that is interesting in the end.

If I remember the original story correctly, the 'secret window' becomes something of a metaphor for the later action of the story. This is not really explored in the film, and any non-King fan in the audience might end up wondering what the title of the film really means.

Bottom-line: Recommended for Stephen King fans, mildly recommended for non-King folks.

An incredible movie

[amerikanos-23706 · 7/10 · 27 March 2020]

It really plays with your psychology takes you in a deep trip inside,makes you think about things by a different optic. For me, it glued me to the the screen throughout the process. But let's face it, it's a movie that will really bore out the majority of people through it, especially if it doesn't catch you in it's web. So if the review was just for myself of how much I enjoyed the movie , it would be 10/10. But this is an objective review for the average viewer, so 7/10 it is

A superb, suspenseful classic.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 14 February 2021]

Mort Rainey, a successful writer received an unwanted visitor one day, Mr Shooter, who accuses him of plagiarism, Mort's life spirals out if control.

I have to be honest, I absolutely loved it, I'd class it as a real classic, it had a touch of everything, horror, thriller, psychological drama, I thought it was great.

'The only thing that matters is the ending.' Never a truer word has been spoken, it built and built, it developed pace and momentum, and peaked with a tremendous conclusion, the best bit of the film.

Johnny Depp, what can you say, absolutely incredible here, he's outstanding.

I loved it, 9/10.

Ending Is The Most Important Part of the Story

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 9 January 2005]

Mort Rainey (Johnny Depp) is a lonely successful writer is a process of divorce of his wife Amy (Maria Bello), who is living with the new mate Ted Milner (Timothy Hutton). The life of Mort changes when he is accused by the Mississippi redneck John Shooter (John Turturo) of plagiarizing his tale "Secret Window". Shooter threatens Mort and his friends, in a story with a surprising end. "Secret Window" is a movie where the characters are slowly well-developed, but with a great conclusion. Unfortunately the darker conclusive last scene was deleted, and there is no explanation for such procedure. It seems that the director forgot that ending is the most important part of the story. Anyway, this movie is a worthwhile entertainment. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "A Janela Secreta" ("The Secret Window")

Secret Window... The secret is you have seen this before.

[juliankennedy23 · 5/10 · 29 November 2008]

Secret Window: 5 out of 10: I am not going to critique Johnny Depp. He is fine in this movie. And I certainly do not want the great wrath of woman, of various ages, down upon my head. Johnny Depp is a thespian God. He can do no wrong. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory never existed... (God he was awful in that.) Depp’s performance is the most entertaining thing is Secret Window. In fact with the exception of a wonderfully drawn Timothy Hutton in a supporting role, it is the only entertaining thing in the movie. The small cast is rounded out by Maria Bello (A 41 year old butterface that plays Depp’s, cuckolding, bitchy, soon to be ex-wife) and the usually dependable John Turturro who is a disaster.

This is a Stephen King adaption about a writer going over the edge. (If you saw the Dark Half which also starred Timothy Hutton this will definitely feel like familiar ground). The plot is a familiar train wreck. Depp is a writer going through a nasty divorce and suffering from writers block. There is a knock at the door and Turturro is at the door. With a southern drawl and an Amish tailor Turturro claims that Depp stole his story and has to make it right.

Ah plagiarism, that old plot twist standby which many a great horror novel is based on. (Or maybe not). Turtorro’s character quickly becomes a nasty bit of work as he kills Depp’s beloved dog with a screwdriver. (This isn’t really a plot spoiler. This is a Steven King adaptation, there are no kids in it to kill and the beloved dog might as well have been dressed in a metaphorical red shirt from the first scene.) This is where the movie officially lost me. Turturro is about as threatening as a Joe Pesci romantic comedy and if his character (named Shooter) killed one of my family members the next time he entered my property he would be renamed shot.

But the movie cannot let Depp kill Shooter... cause of a super secret plot twist so lame and so obvious that it’s no wonder plagiarism was at the forefront of the writer’s mind. To add insult to injury the movie actually feels it needs to drop hints at this shocking plot twist apparently under the assumption a portion of the audience sniffs glue for a living and didn’t figure it out within 10 minutes of the opening credits.

The only real surprise in the entire film is the strange Children of the Corn references (Turtorro’s character seems to be clearly channeling Malachi and the last scene is torn right from that mid-eighties classic.) Perhaps the film is meant to be homage to the fine Children of the Corn series... No greater faint praise could I imagine damning with.

The Most Important Part Is The Ending...And this one it great!

[YoureTooMuchFun · 9/10 · 8 October 2005]

This captivating thriller, based on a novella (Secret Window, Secret Garden) by Stephen King, is a true stroke of movie genius. Many reviews, make the claims that this movie is "outworn", "cliched" and even "predictable"! With these claims, I strongly disagree. The writing for this film is incredibly clever and complicated, I myself had to watch the film 2 or 3 times before I could fully comprehend all of the twists and turns that are interwoven throughout. Not a film for the faint hearted - although the majority of the violence is only implied - there are a few gory scenes, which all include a screw driver and a lot of blood. Despite how this may sound, this is not a "full on gore movie" by any means. Quite the opposite, it is a very deep psychological thriller which will leave you with a lot to think about. A truly moving performance by Johnny Depp, who plays the role of Mort outstandingly, so that you can really connect with Mort, and empathize with how he is feeling. John Turturro, another incredible actor, plays Shooter with a real eeriness,with the perfect amount of emotion and madness. A truly fantastic film, which will leave you jaw dropped (no exaggeration) by the time you reach the end. Plus Johnny Depp is gorgeous as Mort Rainey, and that can't be bad ;)

Why Johnny Depp is probably the most interesting actor of his generation.

[lee_eisenberg · 7/10 · 2 December 2005]

Mort Rainey (Johnny Depp) is a writer having trouble coming up with an idea. Finally, he comes up with something. The only problem is, a stranger named Shooter (John Turturro) accuses Mort of plagiarism. Naturally, Mort wants to prove himself innocent - but then, that's where the movie becomes apparent as a Stephen King story. You may never trust yourself again after seeing this movie.

Movies like "Secret Window" (as well as "Edward Scissorhands", "What's Eating Gilbert Grape", "Ed Wood", "Sleepy Hollow", "Chocolat", "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl", "Finding Neverland" and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory") show why Johnny Depp may be the most interesting actor of his generation. Maybe anyone could have given Mort the mannerisms that he exhibits, but Depp puts his usual impressive spin on it. After watching this movie, you may want to think twice before even attempting to write anything.

Spoilers what spoilers?

[BA_Harrison · 5/10 · 3 November 2013]

I've ticked the 'spoilers' box, but this review doesn't really contain any spoilers: that's because even a total numb-nuts with the IQ of a flannel could figure out that Johnny Depp's character in Secret Window is a few sandwiches short of a picnic—a schizophrenic whose damaged psyche has created a murderous alter-ego. It's a twist telegraphed so clearly right from the start that it's almost impossible to spoil, although further evidence of Depp's nuttiness is liberally sprinkled throughout for those living vegetables that might struggle with such an oft-used plot device.

I've not read it yet, but I imagine that the novella from which this film has been adapted—Stephen King's Secret Window, Secret Garden—bears little resemblance to this film. Writer/director David Koepp's script lacks sophistication and finesse, as does his direction, and despite the involvement of a terrific cast, his film is quite the embarrassment, complete with numerous dumb plot turns and woeful CGI trickery. As a fan of bad movies, I actually had quite a bit of fun with this, particularly with Depp's typically quirky performance (hence my middling score of 5/10), but I wouldn't blame King if he sought out all those involved, killed their dog, torched their home, stuck a screwdriver in their head and buried them in his garden as a warning to others!

Secret Window

[0U · 8 March 2020]

This movie should be paying huge debts to much better psychological thrillers like PSYCHO or MISERY (coincidentally, the latter is another Stephen King book adaptation), but nevertheless, SECRET WINDOW is creepy, disturbing and haunting. Not to mention it benefits from a strong performance from Johnny Depp.

spooky without the intensity

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 2 January 2016]

Writer Mort Rainey (Johnny Depp) is struggling getting divorced from his wife Amy (Maria Bello) after she cheated with Ted (Timothy Hutton). He's alone in his remote cabin when mysterious stranger John Shooter (John Turturro) shows up. He accuses him of plagiarism and starts threatening him. Sheriff Dave Newsome is nonchalant. Mort hires private investigator Ken Karsch (Charles S. Dutton). He needs an old magazine to prove his case and then somebody burns down his house.

This one is spooky without much intensity. Depp is playing normal and Turturro is doing super creepy southerner. There is obviously a twist coming and it becomes a waiting game for the movie to reveal it. The twist is good enough but it is barely a worthwhile wait.

Classic 2004

[rmgibson-38907 · 7/10 · 16 September 2020]

I watched this movie because the trailer had a really cool narrator, one of the honest trailer type voices. I could tell it was a King story. Along with the sorta cheesy directing, the great acting and suspense made this movie really enjoyable. Watch it if you are a fan of the early 2000's feel.

A thrilling and suspenseful movie in which the most important part of a story is the ending

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 4 May 2023]

A twisted psychological story with thrills , chills , violence and a tense final . This nice and intriguing motion picture was competently directed by David Koepp . Dealing with a successful fiction writer called Mort (Johnny Depp) in the midst of a painful divorce is stalked at his remote lake house by a would-be writer who accuses him of plagiarism . Six months back writer Mort found his wife (Maria Bello) in bed with another man (Timothy Hutton) . But Mort returns night after to his isolated , ill-secured house with a psycho around . The white glare of the blank laptop keeps driving him back into the arms of his couch , where he sleeps away most days in a gnarly bathrobe until naptime is interrupted by John Sutter (John Turturro) pounding on the door of Mort's upstate cabin like the day of judgement . Shooter accuses the disheveled author of plagiarism and gives him three days to prove otherwise , although the bodies begin piling up immediately . Some windows should never be opened !.

More a thriller than an all-out terror, this picture packs suspense , violence , tense and amazing conclusion . To be sure , the movie adapted from a novella by Stephen King is never less than pulpy , preposterous fun , thanks almost entirely to its ingenious star Johnny Depp always gives generously , no matter the cause. Provides an imaginative, highly original and well-knit screenplay by David Koepp , director as well . This is a moody , creepy, obsessive thriller depicting an environment of paranoia , including violent and thrilling events in which lots of mounting tension both within and without . Resulting to a be an astonishing nightmare suffered by an unsettling writer harassed by a weird person , as director David Koepp unveils the inevitable big twist as too conventional excuse for plot-holes , some implausibilities and Mort's stunning errors of judgement . And the deranged last reel flounders under a crippling debt to ¨The Shining¨. Along with the always great Johnny Depp appearing here and there a number of prestigious actors , such as : John Turturro , Maria Bello , Timothy Hutton , Charles S. Dutton , Len Cariou, John Dunn-Hill and Vlasta Vrana ; all of them giving decent interpretations . Stephen King has a library load of books to his credit and a fan base of fanatic's eager to purchase any piece that pours from his platinum pen . Quite obviously many of his books have inspired movie adaptations, however surprisingly the transformation from page to cinema has not always been a successful one. Scanning a list of films based on King's work which features about 120 writing credits , there is a mixture of masterpieces and others mediocre , flops or stinkers . On the one hand we have horror classics like Carrie, The Shinning , Misery and The Mist . And on the other hand , B-movies , blowouts or failures films , such as Thinner , Maximum Overdrive , The Tommyknockers, Dreamcatcher , Running Man and The Langoliers. And Hollywood keeps buying up the rights to more of Stephen King's stories other directors could take .

It displays a colorful and brilliant cinematography finely made by cameraman Fred Murphy. As well as sinister and mysterious music score fitting to the nail-biting tension by composer Philip Glass , he's habitual maker of frightening atmospheres . The motion picture was well directed by David Koepp , a famous , succesful screenwriter (Zathura, War of the worlds , Spiderman, Mission impossible) and occasionally director (stir of echoes , Secret window , The trigger effect) . The flick will appeal to thriller fans because gets adequate intrigue , intense drama sequences and unexpected plot twists . Rating : 7.5/10 . The pic will appeal to Johnny Depp fans.

Very Predictable. And sub par scares for a Stephen King film.

[PatrynXX · 6/10 · 13 November 2004]

(spoilers)

Yep, once you figure out that John T doesn't exist and its all in Depps head... it's pretty much hom hum from there. Frankly the film is a mess. But Johnny improves the movie by his acting. I give this movie a 6, which is very generous. But I have a feeling I'm gonna receive a bad after taste from this film. It's way way too short. It feels rushed, bad character development. Johnny Depp does all the work.

This is a really big disappointment. The only thing carrying this film is indeed Depps acting. Otherwise, I would have shut this off quite quickly.

6/10

Quality: 4/10 Entertainment: 6/10 Replayable: 2/10

good stephen king adaptation

[Loofa00 · 8/10 · 19 December 2020]

Stephen King adaptations come in across a whole spectrum of quality. This one's on the good end. The music is by Phillip Glass! And Johnny Depp is an excellent lead. He's so natural and relaxed in the role; he makes it look easy. Overall, the film does a good job at disguising the real plot behind soapy thriller themes; when you realize what's been going on all along, you realize it was a better movie than it seemed; the plot gaps are a part of the plot. Tricky to make this come off well in a movie, but I think they got it right.

SPOILER:

I'm going to spoil it now, but I just have to add: the reviews that complain that the movie is overwrought, cheesy, film 101...they are missing that that is Mort's writing style, not the actual movie's. For example, when he shouts 'I'll get you for this Shooter!' and you just hear his voice ringing through the twilight forest: the awkward timing and stereotypical clunkiness are MORT's version of how this scene happened. Because he is writing this story in his head, this is how he rationalizes 1 side of reality. We're watching MORT's unfinished rough draft sketch of events. So yeah, that's a hard balance to get right for the filmmakers. I think they did well.

Above average.

[Analog_Devotee · 6/10 · 6 December 2021]

Loved the setting, loved the plot, loved the acting... but there's something missing here. Something holding it back. I'm not quite sure what it is, but this could have been a lot better. Still, it's no slouch and I wouldn't advise skipping. Definitely above average and worth trying out.

Great performances in a bad movie

[JuliusGryphon · 5/10 · 23 September 2004]

I'm always skeptical when I hear of yet another Stephen King story being made into a movie. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy King's writing...but movie adaptations of his works don't exactly have a great track record. But, this time around I was optimistic because of the talent involved. And that talent didn't let me down. John Turturro is a consistently good actor who gives a consistently good performance. And Johhny Depp once again shows us how he can take any character and make it his own. He is able to instill his roles with incredibly entertaining personalities while still making them believable. I would almost recommend this movie solely for the enjoyment of watching Depp perform.

The problem is that no amount of great acting could save this movie. It's predictable, drawn out, and plain silly at times. And for some reason, it ends about 15 minute too late. After the final climatic scene, there is a completely unnecessary wrap-up scene that I guess answers one or two questions. But they are questions the viewer doesn't really want/need answered and it doesn't answer them in a very satisfactory manner anyway. Cutting off that last scene wouldn't help this movie...but it sure couldn't hurt.

So, if you're like me and will watch Depp in almost anything, check this out to admire his skills. Just don't expect a good movie.

Fantastic!

[chantellecasey · 10/10 · 9 March 2005]

I have always wanted to see Secret Window; when a movie has such varied and mixed reviews it is always intriguing to see the movie itself and find out which side of the line you sit on. I recently viewed Secret Window with a friend from the safety of my own home. It's only a short movie, which in itself has appeal, and if it were any longer the suspense element would have most definitely fizzled away. The first hour or so nothing much happens, the story line just plods along and you wait and watch to look for anything you have missed and wonder whether the story is going to go anywhere. The first portion of the movie is not a complete failure, however, as Johnny Depp once again shines in his role and keeps the viewer somewhat interested. Once the twist kicks in, the movie takes the viewer to a whole new level. My friend and I were simply intrigued in horror. It simply is brilliant and I would recommend this to anyone who loves being taken on a journey through their imagination.

superb acting and great ending

[taheriitaheriiarian · 7/10 · 24 May 2021]

This movie is kinda predictable but its definitely worth watching its overall a really fun and interesting movie which is also followed by amazing acting by johny depp, the story is very well written and the ending is superb.

A shameful piece of garbage

[monstermonkeyhead · 1/10 · 6 February 2005]

Anyone who cannot not guess who the killer is in the first thirty seconds of this movie must ride the special bus. The guy is freaking talking to himself! Who else could it be? I can't believe I wasted my time on this movie. I watched thinking, "No, him being the killer is just so stupid, it can't be true. Maybe there's some clever twist." Nope. I actually laughed out loud at the idiotic "shock" ending. Johnny Depp, after talking to himself, sees his wife's car pull up. Then all of a sudden his house is magically a mess and the word "shooter" is carved into everything- oh, except for one spot where Johnny Depp is standing where it says "shoot her." Dumb, dumb, dumb. I can hardly believe such garbage got made- especially with such good actors.