Witness Movie Review

Witness (1985)

Rent Witness on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: William Kelley and Pamela Wallace, Earl W. Wallace (story by), Earl W. Wallace & William Kelley (screenplay by)
Directed by: Peter Weir
Starring: Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis, Lukas Haas, Danny Glover
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A Philadelphia detective must protect a young Amish boy who witnessed a murder by corrupt cops.

Verdict
It's an interesting premise to put a cop in Amish country, but this movie is no comedy. It's part Serpico, part West Side Story, though it reaches the heights of neither.
It depends.

Review
The movie starts with clips of Amish life. These clips provide us just enough information to understand the life without inundation. It lures us into the world as we see an Amish child and his mother venture into Philadelphia. Any child would be curious in a big city, but Samuel (Lukas Haas) has never seen this way of life. This world comes crashing down as Samuel witnesses a murder in the restroom.

Not many movies get into police work, but we see line ups and mugshot books. It's introducing not only Samuel, but us to the institution. The movie is very much looking through his eyes. When John Book (Harrison Ford) realizes it was a fellow police officer (Danny Glover) that committed the murder he takes Samuel to his sister's house for protection.

Witness - Help! Harrison Ford is lost in Amish country.

In a shoot out with the corrupt cops that occurs in the parking garage, Book manages to escape and takes Samuel and his mother back to their home. The Amish country is the only place they can be safe.
Book crashes his car right after dropping them off, prompting me to wonder how close was he to crashing when they were in the car? He had been wounded in the shootout.

Book goes from cop to Amish, hiding from the cops and healing from his wounds. The movie really slows down with Book outside of his comfort zone. I'm surprised it didn't cut back to the corrupt cops hunting him down just to help the pacing.

Book gets a fun moment where he punches a local man that was harassing the Amish. Book is told it's not their way, but Book counters it is his way. It contradicts the Amish principles but I was rooting for him and it reinforces that he cares. He's invested.

The cops find Book, but of course he triumphs. He bids the Amish farewell as he returns to the city.