Witness is a film which works on multiple levels: suspenseful cop thriller; passionate love story; and thought provoking commentary on the clash of secular and ultra religious views, and the bigotry of the latter given by the former.
The film begins with a recently widowed Amish woman (Kelly McGillis) and her young son (Lukas Haas) heading towards the big city where they witness a brutal murder involving police officers. The detective assigned to the case is played by Harrison Ford, who – thanks to the boys eye witness account - uncovers police corruption in his ranks. After he is seriously injured during an attempt on his life, he is taken in by the Amish community who help him heal his wound and give him shelter.
Director Peter 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 into a forbidden relationship with Ford’s “English Man”.
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. The portrayal of their simple existence proves to be an advantage for Weir and his cinematographer John Seale, who filmed the movie in as much natural light as possible, creating stunning interplays between light and shadow. Then there is the memorable barn raising scene, which almost seems organic in execution.
This is a film with many nuances. Every piece of dialogue (written by William Kelley and Earl W. Wallace) holds great meaning, and glances between actors hold great weight. It is all pieced perfectly by Weir and editor Thom Noble, and driven by a superb character performance from the world’s greatest movie star.