The Amy Adams Crime Thriller On Netflix That Will Turn You Into A Detective

By Charlene Badasie | Updated

The Woman in the Window

The 2021 psychological thriller The Woman in the Window is currently streaming on Netflix. The film is directed by Joe Wright and is based on the 2018 novel of the same name by A.J. Finn (a pseudonym for author Daniel Mallory). It stars Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Fred Hechinger, Julianne Moore, Anthony Mackie, Wyatt Russell, Brian Tyree Henry, and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

The Woman in the Window follows Doctor Anna Fox (Amy Adams), a psychologist who lives alone in her New York City brownstone. Anna suffers from agoraphobia, a condition that causes her to fear and avoid going outside. She spends her days observing her neighbors through her windows and immersing herself in old movies.

The Woman in the Window is filled with twists and revelations, blurring the lines between reality and Anna’s imagination.

Her only connections to the outside world are her online support group and occasional visits from her physical therapist. Anna becomes intrigued when a new family, the Russells, moves in across the street. She starts observing their daily lives through her window and notices that the family consists of Alistair Russell (Gary Oldman), his wife Jane Russell (Julianne Moore), and their teenage son, Ethan.

Anna strikes up a friendship with Ethan and eventually meets Jane. However, her interactions with Alistair are limited, and he appears distant. One night, while Anna peers through her window, she sees Jane brutally stabbed in her home. She contacts the police to report the crime, but when they arrive, there is no evidence of foul play against the woman Anna saw in the window.

Alistair Russell denies wrongdoing and introduces his wife, who is not the woman Anna had met earlier. Anna’s credibility is severely questioned due to her agoraphobia and heavy use of prescription medications with alcohol. She begins to doubt her own sanity and the accuracy of what she saw. Even her tenant, David, who lives in her basement, doubts her account.

amy adams
The Woman in the Window

Still, Anna becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth and starts her own investigation. But as she delves deeper into the mystery, her mental state deteriorates as she grapples with paranoia and the fear of being trapped in her home. The Woman in the Window is filled with twists and revelations, blurring the lines between reality and Anna’s imagination.

Despite its impressive cast, The Woman in the Window received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics. Many praised Amy Adams’ performance, but the film faced criticism for its pacing and deviations from the source material. Some critics felt that it didn’t live up to the suspenseful and psychological aspects of the novel. Audience reception was also mixed for the same reasons.

The Woman in the Window was initially produced by Fox 2000 Pictures and was originally set for a theatrical release by 20th Century Fox in October 2019. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, its release was postponed to May 2020. Eventually, the film was sold to Netflix and made its debut on May 14, 2021. It emerged as one of the top-performing titles on the streaming platform in 2021.

The Woman in the Window, an Amy Adams thriller, is streaming on Netflix.

Following her role in The Woman in the Window, Amy Adams continued to be a prominent figure in the film and television industry. She played a significant role in the film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen, which was released in 2021. She portrayed Cynthia Murphy, a mother dealing with the loss of her son.

amy adams
The Woman in the Window

Adams reprised her role as Princess Giselle in the long-anticipated sequel to Disney’s Enchanted, Disenchanted. The story begins years after the original film. After living happily ever after, Giselle, Robert, and Morgan move to a new community. But their life is thrown into chaos when Andalasia and the real world become unbalanced.

Up Next For Amy Adams

Adams will next be seen in the comedy horror Nightbitch. The film is directed and written by Marielle Heller and is adapted from the 2021 novel of the same name by Rachel Yoder. The cast also includes Scoot McNairy, Ella Thomas, Garrett C. Phillips, and Mary Holland. Away from movie roles like The Woman in the Window, Adams has also been active on television.

She was an executive producer of the 2018 HBO limited series Sharp Objects, in which she also starred. Adams, along with her producing partner Stacy O’Neil, founded the production company Bond Group Entertainment. The company aimed to develop and produce film and television projects with strong female characters and storytellers. For now, fans can catch her on Netflix in The Woman in the Window.