Review of Witness (1985) by Gareth J — 03 Jan 2010

I've been curious about seeing this movie for a long, long time and I believe I can say that it fully paid off for me. Harrison Ford is once again playing a detective but this time he's not performing his job for much of the film which is refreshing change form the usual performances he gave in most of his later career.

. Instead he becomes an Amish farmer who has to help the local people by collecting in the corn and milking the cows, whilst protecting a little boy who is the "WITNESS" to a brutal murder. The boy mentioned is played very convincingly by Lukas Haas and his mother, played by Kelly McGillis, gives a superb performance as this frightened, simple and often fearful and loving Amish mother.

The plot is basic stuff, boy sees murder, murderer's want to kill boy, but the film is so much more than just a cliched detective chase. Witness is a love story, and one that's done exceedingly well.

The visuals in this film are at times, stunning, gritty, grimy, colourful and mesmerizing; the best example of which is when Harrison Ford helps the many Amish farmers construct a barn in the middle of a beautiful field.

I think I can safely safe that Witness is one of the best films of the 80's, and hasn't dated that badly when it comes to 80's films. Perhaps that is because most of the film is set on this bizarre and timeless Amish farm.

Watch it if you haven't seen it, watch it if you're a Harrison Ford fan, or watch it if you're a Peter Weir buff.