After a long wait, The Woman in the Window was finally released on Netflix, albeit to mixed reactions from the audience. While some enjoyed the psychological thriller for all its twists and turns - along with the great performances of the cast members like Amy Adams and Julianne Moore - others still had questions by the time the credits rolled.
To its credit, The Woman in the Window had an intriguing premise and an entertaining plot reminiscent of other great psychological thrillers. Following ones viewing of the film, there are plenty of other movies with similar plots and themes for fans who want to watch something similar or look for something that can fill the gaps and deliver the twisty goodness they hoped to see in this feature.
Rear Window (1954)
In Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window, while recovering from a broken leg, James Stewart's Jeff spends time recuperating in his apartment. With nothing much to do, he passes the time watching his neighbors go about their lives through his rear window. One night, a woman's scream catches his attention, and when he looks out the rear window he sees one of his neighbors carrying a suitcase and later in the day, cleaning a knife and a handsaw. The man's wife is nowhere to be seen.
The Woman in the Window shares a lot of similarities with Rear Window but is also different enough that it doesn't feel like watching the same movie set in two different time periods. According to many, Rear Window is one of Alfred Hitchcock's best Hollywood productions of its time. The mystery and suspense is intriguing and gripping from the beginning right up to the chilling climax, and it provides a satisfying ending for fans who might not have been happy with that of The Woman In The Window.
Copycat (1995)
Following an attack after giving a lecture on criminal psychology, Dr. Helen Hudson hides in her apartment until a series of murders prompts the police to enlist her expertise to catch the killer. During the investigation, Helen realizes the killer is copying famous killers and following their murderous activities in the same order she presented them when she was attacked.
Like Anna from The Woman in the Window, Helen has agoraphobia following the traumatic attack, but that setup is the closest Copycat gets to it. While this is a classic favorite with a commendable performance from Sigourney Weaver, it's quite underrated and overshadowed by Se7en, which was released around the same time.
Panic Room (2002)
In Panic Room, three intruders break into Jodie Foster's Meg's home, where she lives with her daughter, and the two of them hide in a panic room designed for such a situation. Unfortunately, what the intruders want is in that very room and they'll stop at nothing to get it.
Panic Room has a level of suspense that far surpasses that of The Woman in the Window. The two share the theme of having the characters in a confined space, and in Panic Room, the character's actions and reactions are realistic, immersing the audience in the story to feel the fear and panic almost as if they're in that tight space too.
Disturbia (2007)
Disturbia follows Kale who, after being sentenced to three months of house arrest for assaulting a school teacher, starts watching his neighborhood to counter the boredom of doing nothing all day. He and his best friend Ronnie, along with another neighbor, Ashley, end up spying on Turner, who they suspect of murder based on suspicious things they witnessed.
Disturbia and The Woman in the Window are quite similar, both sharing inspiration from Rear Window with the lead character trying to prove that not everything is as it seems. The suspense is highlighted perfectly, with jump scares scattered throughout the movie and a great performance from Shia LaBeouf.
Unknown (2011)
After an accident leaves him in a coma for four days, Unknown's Dr. Martin Harris awakens to find that someone else is living his life and his wife doesn't recognize him. The police don't believe his claims that someone has stolen his identity and worse, he's being hunted by assassins, forcing him to go on the run. As he runs for his life, he unravels the mystery of what really happened on the day of his accident.
Apart from an intriguing premise, Unknown boasts a brilliant performance from Liam Neeson who's well-known for his expertise in action-thrillers. The mystery of Martin's lost identity and the action-packed chase with the assassins after him combine to make a nail-biting thriller movie of a man trying to save his life and take it back from those who stole it. It may not share many similarities with The Woman in the Window, apart from having the main character struggle to get others to believe their version of the truth, but it's wholly riveting all the same.
Gone Girl (2014)
When Amy goes missing on her fifth wedding anniversary in Gone Girl, her husband, Nick becomes the prime suspect. The more he claims to be innocent, the more the evidence stacks up against him leading to more questions about the truth behind their seemingly perfect marriage.
Like The Woman in the Window, Gone Girl - also based on a novel - presents an unreliable narrator perfectly, leaving the audience guessing from the beginning to the shocking ending. With each twist and turn of the tale, the audience is lured into the web of lies and deceit, calling into question everything they think they know about the characters and the story.
Before I Go To Sleep (2014)
Traumatized by a vicious attack, Before I Go to Sleep's Christine - played by Nicole Kidman - has anterograde amnesia, and every morning, she wakes up without memories of the day before. As part of her recovery, she starts keeping a video journal to retain memories of her days. But then she starts uncovering disturbing truths about her past, leaving her distrustful of everyone around her, including herself.
Before I Go to Sleep is like a darker, chilling version of 50 First Dates with a life or death element that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. Each plot twist untangles the mystery of what really happened to Helen until the major reveal sets the climax into motion. Like Anna when she began questioning her version of events in The Woman in the Window, Christine starts to doubt herself too, leaving the audience to wonder which version of the story is the truth.
The Girl On The Train (2016)
Recently divorced and out of a job, The Girl on the Train's Rachel - played by Emily Blunt - rides the train every day, pretending to go to work. Every day, she entertains herself with made-up stories of the lives of one of the couples she sees through the train window. When the woman goes missing a few days after Rachel saw her kissing someone else from the train, she goes on a dangerous mission to uncover the truth.
Apart from a woman looking out a window, another thing The Girl on the Train has in common with The Woman In The Window is an unreliable narrator. With both Anna and Rachel, the audience starts out rooting for them but then later doesn't know whether to trust and believe their version of events or dismiss them as the other characters do.
Don't Breathe (2016)
In Don't Breathe, after three thieves discover that a blind man received a huge cash settlement, they plan to rob him, believing he's an easy target. However, they break into the house, they get more than they bargained for as their prey becomes their hunter.
With all its chills and thrills, the audience will definitely hold their breath while watching Don't Breathe. The focus of the movie is primarily on the location the thieves targeted as it goes from the ultimate jackpot to their worst nightmare. Where The Woman in the Window fell a little short in suspense and a high-stakes plot, Don't Breathe delivers.
Get Out (2017)
What started out as a weekend meetup with his girlfriend's parents turns into something more than Chris bargained for in Jordan Peele's Get Out. With each increasingly disturbing discovery, the danger becomes more present, and the line between life or death blurs.
Get Out doesn't share many similarities with The Woman in the Window, but both are a brand of horror that doesn't rely on overly supernatural elements, like ghosts, to be scary. The jump scares in this one will have the audience jumping out of their seats too.