Any good novel must begin with a great open, and this movie follows that mantra perfectly. Morton “Mort” Rainey (Depp) has just discovered that his wife (Maria Bello) is having an affair. The opening sequence takes place on a snowy night at a dreary neon lit motel. There’s a certain noir style to the shots, with excellent visuals mixing with the ambient sounds of the windshield wipers on Mort’s car, mimicking an intense heartbeat.
Johnny Depp is a great actor and can play a part like this with effortless simplicity. Mort Rainey is a successful mystery writer, said to draw inspiration from a bottle of Jack Daniels. We see him in the aftermath of the breakup with his wife in a disheveled state. He now resides in a remote cabin in upstate New York, dressed in a ripped robe and in a constant state of slovenly disrepair. Depp has the charisma to play this type of individual; a writer who’s down on his luck and struggling to get the next words out for his latest effort. Despite being a well-known A-list heartthrob, he has a comical appeal that makes him seem like a normal guy who has just lost the love of his life.
From the opening scene on, “Secret Window” feels like its hiding something from the viewer. As the plot quickly progresses, Mort is visited by a sinister man named John Shooter (John Turturro) who claims a successful story Mort had written was actually plagiarized from his own piece. What begins as a strange encounter ramps up to Shooter’s violent and sadistic abilities as he stalks Mort like impending doom and won’t go away until amends are made. The story works well to place its characters in the remote setting of Tashmore Lake. The ineffectiveness of the local police is believably explained, and the tight running time of 96 minutes doesn’t have us shaking our heads in disbelief at the actions Mort takes.
While Depp and Turturro are the main characters, Maria Bello does a good job in her role as Amy Rainey, along with her new beau (Timothy Hutton) these characters add a solid balance to the mysterious tones of the plot. Charles S. Dutton of televisions “Roc” fame is a nice ancillary character, Ken Karsch – a private investigator Mort hires to assist with his issues. Ken is capable and completely independent as we see him comically activating his pay clock every time Mort begins to speak. “Is he a regular wacko like you’ve had before?” He asks, implying a deeper connection between the two men. “Or is this something you should be talking to your lawyer about?”
There are several scenes that are ripe with tension as Mort tries to deal with Shooter amidst the remote wilderness and the enviable lakeside cabin he resides in. There’s nothing in the way of scares or horror, so be prepared for a movie that’s nothing more than a good solid thriller.
“Secret Window” is an entertaining film. It’s an exciting tale that, while I won’t give anything away, has an ending that leaves a bit to be desired. You’ll want to guess what’s happening as you watch along, and will certainly be captivated for the ride.
