Parents' Guide to

The Woman in the Window

By Jennifer Green, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Violence, language, suspense in Hitchcock-inspired mystery.

Movie R 2021 101 minutes
The Woman in the Window Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 15+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Miss_B_Mc
Miss_B_Mc Adult
October 21, 2021
age 16+

Well Written Suspense and Mystery

This book is great and filled with all sorts of mixed emotions throughout the book. There is a constant battle between the reader and the protagonist. Sometimes you feel remorse, other times you feel frustration towards her actions. The book is great if you like light suspense and mystery. There is also a movie over the book, which is good. Although Amy Adams does a great job, it does not do the book justice.

This title has:

Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
jlnnpeters
jlnnpeters Adult
May 16, 2021
age 13+
This is a masterpiece! Love the camera quality and blurs around shown objects and characters. Acting is amazing from all characters. Violence is high but I let my 13 and 15 yr olds watch this because they need to comprehend these types of serious matters (such as depression, suicide, etc...) because they need to get used to these types of things from a movie to adjust and prepare for it in real life because these types of matters are very common. I would rather they learn now (the easy way) than get shocked and uncomfortable later on in life. The plot of this movie is very intelligent but there is a lot of violence. My children can handle violence better than me because of the things that are constantly exposing themselves to them. If your children cannot handle graphic violence, then I suggest that they do not watch this series. There are barely any inappropriate scenes. A lot of swearing but my children are already exposed to that subject. So far as I know, my older daughter already curses. There is no consumerism. A lot of alcohol, illegal drugs, and smoking but teaches children side effects and consequences so does not encourage this behaviour. Highly recommend for mature children age 13 and above.

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Dr. Anna Fox (Amy Adams) is a troubled child psychologist in THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW. She is a person with agoraphobia, which is an anxiety disorder that makes her unable to leave her house, and she is mixing alcohol and medications in a self harming way. She lives alone except for a tenant (Wyatt Russell) who dwells in her basement and sometimes helps out with household tasks. She has phone conversations with her husband (Anthony Mackie), from whom she says she's separated, and young daughter (Mariah Bozeman). When a new family moves in across the street (Gary Oldham and Jennifer Jason Leigh), Anna begins spying on them out her window. She befriends their apparently-troubled teen son (Fred Hechinger) and his mother (Julianne Moore). One night, she thinks she sees the mother being murdered, but she has no proof. Complicating matters, her substance abuse and psychological problems make her an unreliable witness and she becomes unsure herself of what she saw.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (11):

With obvious nods to Hitchcock, this film creates suspense through a blend of unpredictable characters, plot twists, ominous music (by Danny Elfman), and gloomy settings seen from odd angles. Like so many psychological thrillers before it, The Woman in the Window wants to make us question who and what is real. The actual violence is less important (or interesting) -- and comes later in the story -- than the palpable sense of menace and the uncertainty of who presents what threat. The tale turns on Anna, an unreliable witness with psychological problems whose abuse of alcohol and medications fuzzes her perceptions. The always-versatile Adams offers a solid performance that fuels the film and compensates for other, less-developed characters. Her Anna is at once heartbreaking and infuriating, a believable everywoman who has lost her will to live, but the essential details of what drove her to the life of a recluse are kept from us for more than half the movie.

There are also themes concerning motherhood and a mother's role in the film, adding to the emotion and contributing to our uncertainty about Anna's state of mind. The men are mostly there to menace, except for two (perhaps coincidentally both Black): her apparently-estranged husband, and the kind detective assigned to her case. The story is structured by days over the course of one autumn week, with Anna repeating rituals (including passing out each night and awaking startled each morning) and only halfheartedly seeking help. There's mention of a previous suicide attempt. The film's production design is all about the mood: Anna lives in a cavernous, jewel-toned brownstone where she keeps the lights constantly dimmed. She's often glimpsed from peculiar angles and reflected in mirrors as she wanders the dark house in her pink bathrobe. The structure and setting are effective enough in putting you on edge, uncertain how events will unfold but sure something bad will happen. When it does, it feels almost anti-climactic; proof again that the waiting is the hardest, but maybe also the best, part.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how The Woman in the Window creates suspense. Which moments stand out to you as the tensest, and why?

  • Lots of other films are referenced or seen in passing in this movie. Did you recognize any? If so, which ones?

  • What is agoraphobia? How does it affect Anna's life? Where could you go to find out more information about this condition?

  • Was the ending of the film a surprise for you? Why or why not?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate