With its unique setting and captivating lead turn by Harrison Ford, Witness proves to be an entertaining cop thriller of rich character and assured direction.
Witness also marked the Hollywood debut of acclaimed Australian director Peter Weir (Gallipoli). It is a film that works on multiple levels: suspenseful cop thriller; passionate love story; and a thought-provoking commentary on the clash of secular and ultra religious views, and the bigotry upon the latter given by the former.
Witness begins with recently widowed Amish woman Rachel (Kelly McGillis) and her young son Samuel (Lukas Haas) travelling to Philadelphia. Once there, the young boy witnesses a brutal murder involving police officers.
The detective assigned to the case, John Book (Harrison Ford), uncovers police corruption thanks to the Samuel’s eyewitness account. After he is seriously injured during an attempt on his life, Book is taken in by the Amish community who help him heal his wound and give him shelter.
Weir’s films have always contained strong characters that are usually played by actors who often defy the limits placed on them via their previous works. Such is the case with Harrison Ford, who is startlingly good as the tough city cop feeling his way through the Amish lifestyle. In the process Ford’s humanity – which was not seen in his previous intergalactic/supernatural adventures – comes to the foreground.
Playing alongside Ford is Kelly McGillis, who is very good as the widow who enters a forbidden relationship with Ford’s “English Man.”
Other notable cast members include a pre-Lethal Weapon Danny Glover as a corrupt narcotics detective, renowned Russian ballet dancer Alexander Godunov as a jilted love interest for McGillis, and a young Viggo Mortenson (in his debut) who plays a member of the Amish community.
On top of the films strong character development and its fine acting, Witness also takes an unprecedented look into the elusive life of the Amish, who are an equally fascinating, frustrating, and resourceful people who thrive on the principles of their faith and the strength of their community.
The portrayal of their simple existence proves to be an advantage for Weir and his cinematographer John Seale (Mad Max: Fury Road), who filmed the movie in as much natural light as possible, creating stunning interplays between light and shadow. Then there is a memorable barn raising scene, which almost seems organic in execution.
Witness is a film with many nuances. Every piece of dialogue written by William Kelley and Earl W. Wallace (who won an Oscar for their work) holds great meaning, and glances between actors hold great weight. It is all pieced perfectly by Weir and editor Thom Noble (Thelma and Louise) and driven by a superb character performance from one of the world’s greatest movie stars.
