Witness

Dir: Peter Weir, 1985 (8.6*)

This is a tight, well-made thriller from Australian Peter Weir, almost a film noir. A young Amish boy visiting the city is accidently the only witness to a murder, so detective Harrison Ford goes undercover in Amish country to help protect the boy, and while there grows attracted to the simple lifestyle and anadorned country beauty of the boys widowed mother, Oscar-nominated Kelly McGillis. We get to sample the simple way of life along with Ford’s character, but eventually, of course, the criminals of the big city have to intrude or we’d have no real good vs. evil story. In a way, this is like a classic western, and seems to perhaps even be based on High Noon, but Weir always makes films more intelligent than even that classic. If you like Weir, check out my favorite of his: Fearless, The Mosquito Coast, Picnic at Hanging Rock, or even The Truman Show, with Jim Carrey. 8 nominations, 2 Oscars (Editing and Screenplay)