Netflix’s latest thriller The Woman in the Window debuted on Friday, May 14, and so far, the reviews have been pretty poor.
The movie had a rocky start; it was originally scheduled for a theatrical release in 2019 before being delayed to 2020 due to poor test screenings. These screenings reportedly left audience members confused and unhappy.
Film consultant Elizabeth Gabler blamed this on the complex nature of the Tracy Letts’ book that the movie is based on. Gabler shared, “We’re dealing with a complex novel. We tested the movie really early for that very reason. We wanted to make it better, and we’ve had Disney’s full support in doing that.”
After a series of pick-up shots and new edits, The Woman in the Window’s bad luck continued. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the movie’s theatrical debut was officially canceled and its distribution rights were purchased by Netflix.
Who is in the movie?
Fans were taken back by the large number of poor reviews that The Woman in the Window received, as many felt that the movie’s all-star cast should’ve equipped the production for success.
This movie tells the story of “Anna Fox, an agoraphobic child psychologist who finds herself keeping tabs on the picture-perfect family across the street through the windows of her New York City brownstone.”
Throughout the movie, Anna’s life is shaken as she bears witness to “a brutal crime,” revealing the worst intentions of those surrounding her. Netflix advertises the movie as a mystery thriller.
The Woman in the Window is produced by the controversial Scott Rudin, who has recently stepped back from his work after being faced with a series of abuse allegations. Working alongside Rudin is his “right hand man” Eli Bush.
The movie is directed by Joe Wright, the director behind the award-winning movies Pride & Prejudice, Atonement, and Darkest Hour. Starring in The Woman in the Window is actors Amy Adams, Anthony Mackie, Gary Oldman, Julianne Moore, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s Wyatt Russell, and Atlanta’s Bryan Tyree Henry.
What are reviewers saying?
Sadly, the Woman in the Window is facing plummeting reviews upon the movie’s release. It is currently rated at 29% on Rotten Tomatoes with 56 reviews from critics. Metacritic has given the movie a 39 out of 100, based on 25 critic reviews. These numbers point that the thriller is generally considered “unfavorable” by critics.
Film critic Christy Lemire from Roger Ebert gave the movie a 2.5 out of five stars. In her review, she called the movie “anticlimactic,” writing, “The Woman in the Window offers a lot of build-up, a lot of possibility. But the revelation of what’s truly going on here is anticlimactic—the equivalent of closing the curtains and turning away from the window with a disappointed sigh.”
New York Post’s Johnny Oleksinski gave the movie one out of four stars, referring to the movie as “dusty.” The critic echoed Lemire’s notions, criticizing the movie for its lackluster build.
Oleksinski wrote, “[…] the revelations are expected and leave us feeling blasé. The [movie’s] second attempted twist, which is more Sixth Sense, doesn’t move us because by then the audience is fed up with this bitter shut-in.”
The Woman in the Window is currently streaming on Netflix.