Secret Window

Name: Secret Window
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Horror
Released: March 12, 2004
Duration: 96 min
Rating: 46
Cast: John Turturro, Johnny Depp, Maria Bello

2004

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 34 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 149 Ratings

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5.3

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5.3	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 149 Ratings

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Secret Window

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Movie Details & Credits

My Network TV | Release Date: March 12, 2004 | PG-13

Starring: John Turturro, Johnny Depp, Maria Bello

Summary: Mort Rainey is a best selling author whose imagination thrills his reader to the core. But one of his stories holds a secret that comes to life. A secret that even he can't imagine. (Sony Pictures)

Director: David Koepp

Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller, Horror

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 96 min

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Critic Reviews

Steven Rea

Bloody, bone-chilling fun. Read full review

Roger Ebert

The story is more entertaining as it rolls along than it is when it gets to the finish line. But at least King uses his imagination right up to the end, and spares us the obligatory violent showdown that a lesser storyteller would have settled for. Read full review

M. E. Russell

"The only thing that matters is the ending," says Rainey toward the end of the movie. He's talking about the writers' craft. Koepp, despite the best efforts of his cast, sends this comment soaring into the ether of irony. Read full review

Premiere Peter Debruge

Secret Window's premise is certainly new, even if King appears to be plagiarizing themes from himself. Read full review

Manohla Dargis

Unsteadily pitched between horror and comedy, Secret Window turns out to be neither terribly scary nor especially funny. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Maitland McDonagh

The movie's "shock" payoff still feels like a cheap trick. Read full review

Kevin Carr

The worst sin of omission in Secret Window is the removal of the fact that Rainey had actually plagiarized in the past. In the story, this is critical because it is the source of Rainey’s guilt -– and arguably the reason for his success. Read full review

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User Reviews

JohnnyStephens

Aug 30, 2013

One of the best films I have ever seen. You cannot imagine how Secret Window endings, and the fact that it's based on a Stephen Kings story, makes it better!!! Do not miss it!!!

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

KevinB.

Jul 21, 2006

It has been a very long time where a "scarey" movie, actually scared me. So many movies out there like the grudge and ghost ship...give me a break! the only scarey part of the horror movies of today is that people waste their money to go see it. This movie truly surprised me. I heard so It has been a very long time where a "scarey" movie, actually scared me. So many movies out there like the grudge and ghost ship...give me a break! the only scarey part of the horror movies of today is that people waste their money to go see it. This movie truly surprised me. I heard so many bad things about it and i just happened to see it on tv without knowing what it was until it was too late(i was interested in it by then) What makes this so bad in peoples eyes today is because most people are full of crap when it comes to scarey movies. "like, omg! the ring was so TOTALLY scarey" these are the people who dont understand what makes a good movie… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Critic2012

May 11, 2012

Although the film starts out with a fairly simple and seemingly innocent premise, Secret Window is no doubt one of the most twisting and chilling Stephen King stories ever brought to screen.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

juliankennedy23

Oct 26, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. 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, **** 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.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

BigZ

Nov 5, 2014

If you can be patient with this movie and its snail-like progress, this does turn into something quite creepy and chilling. It isn't a jumpy slasher like most of the other popular horror movies, while not outside the talents of Stephen King, this one took a much more psychological turn. IIf you can be patient with this movie and its snail-like progress, this does turn into something quite creepy and chilling. It isn't a jumpy slasher like most of the other popular horror movies, while not outside the talents of Stephen King, this one took a much more psychological turn. I mean again if you can just be quiet and pay attention while this movie builds, it starts to get scary. Especially if you can consider the idea of this actually happening to YOU. That being said I did think the alternate ending (found on dvd) proved more appropriate for the actual state of mind Mort was in. This did fall heavily on Johnny Depp who can definitely hold his own, but he may have been a slight bit too quirky, a minor problem. Overall it is a tough thing to make a good novella into a movie while staying relatively true to one another. I feel they did that, but it does move slow and the end, while horrifying, doesn't drop the jaw and feel worth the wait. It is one of my favorites though, nonetheless. Approach it openly and it may surprise you, but be critical out the gate and i don't figure you'll be all that impressed. Worth at least one watch.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

mohamad91hk

Aug 23, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. From the beginning, you can expect that Johnny Depp & John Turturro are the same person, when Mort found out that his wife betraying him with Ted, he became schizophrenic psychopath, and started to imagine another character (John Turturro) who represents the latent revenge within him.

Who watch "Fight Club" & "A Beautiful Mind" they will know the secret of the movie since the first conversation between Johnny Depp & John Turturro, there is nothing mysterious in the film, we got enough of that theme.

The performance of Johnny Depp was great. In this film he proves that he can do any role given to him. Lastly, the ending was acceptable and satisfied.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

James

Jul 18, 2006

This movie sucks! It wasn't scary, the acting was bad, and it was a crap storyline!

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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