Secret Window [Blu-ray]

Delivery Time: 7 to 15 Working Days Format: DVD

Based on the novella by Stephen King, this haunting thriller follows struggling writer Johnny Depp as he attempts to rebuild his life after a bitter divorce. His plans are quickly complicated by the arrival of John Turturro, a deranged would-be novelist claiming that the author plagiarized his work. As Depp attempts to clear himself of the charges, his world begins rapidly spinning out of control. With Maria Bello, Timothy Hutton. 96 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 5.1, PCM 5.1; Subtitles: English, Spanish, French.
Johnny Depp gets high off another acting challenge in this tricky adaptation of a Stephen King yarn. Although the mood is too sinister to allow for the mischief of his Pirates of the Caribbean turn, Depp still manages to embroider his role here with plenty of quirky business. He plays a writer, depressed and nearly divorced, who's stuck in an isolated cabin (shades of The Shining) when a stranger (John Turturro) arrives, accusing him of plagiarism. Writer-director David Koepp (Stir of Echoes) does his best to make the rickety material compelling--he gets the maximum out of the cabin set, for instance--but the problems inherent in the King story eventually win out. The climactic scenes are particularly unpleasant, especially in contrast to the cleverness of Depp's performance. A Philip Glass score adds class, but this one ultimately feels like a disappointment. --Robert Horton