Review of Witness (1985) by Stuart K — 05 Sep 2012
Directed by Peter Weir, his first film in America, and from a tight, suspenseful script by Earl W. Wallace and William Kelley, this is an atmospheric and powerful thriller, maybe one of the best of the 1980's.
It hasn't even aged a day either, because it's main setting is in a place that's has had a way of life that's been untouched and unchanged for 2 centuries. It's well made and has some brilliant performances throughout.
Widowed Amish woman Rachel Lapp (Kelly McGillis) and her 8 year old son Samuel (Lukas Haas), are traveling to Baltimore to see Rachel's sister, while at Philadelphia train station, Samuel is witness to a brutal murder in the toilets, and Captain John Book (Harrison Ford) is assigned to investigate, and at the police station, Samuel identifies one of the killers as narcotics officer James McFee (Danny Glover).
Book soon discovers corruption at the police station which goes to Chief Paul Schaeffer (Josef Sommer), who orders a hit on Book, who ends up hiding in Amish county with Rachel and Samuel's family, and he has to adapt to this old way of life and blend in while Schaeffer and McFee look for him.
It's a beautifully made film, with Weir showing a naturalistic side to the Amish community, and Weir gets the best out of Ford, who gives his best acting performance outside of Indiana Jones, and it's a different kind of thriller, one that manages to be gripping and atmospheric at the same time.
Only Weir could manage that.
This review of Witness (1985) was written by Stuart K on 05 Sep 2012.
Witness has generally received very positive reviews.
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