Hitchcock (2012)

Wonderful character development!

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Not knowing much about the life of Hitchcock, this film was quite a revelation to me in terms of giving an insight into his method of working, where he could apparently be quite unpleasant to his stars, except for his leading ladies who he seems to have often become infatuated with. The film also reminds us how out of the ordinary the film Psycho was, and how controversial its making, and showing was at the time - something we perhaps are surprised at given how tame it appears compared t modern horror films. The difficult relationship between Hitchcock and his wife is also laid bare. Over all a fascinating look behind the scenes of the making of Psycho.

The story of the "Master of Suspense" is depicted so well in this movie, thanks to all the players and the nostalgic effects. I remember personally when the scary movie "Psycho" was released when I was fourteen, so I was easily immersed into the era of the early sixties, not only from the time of, again, the release of the reputedly scary movie and the allusions to "North by Northwest" and "Vertigo" (personally, my favorite Hitchcock film, by the way) but also from the allusions to the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis films of the 1950's. One piercingly noticeable fact from this movie is that Alfred Hitchcock was so obsessed with his working that this man was seemingly possessed by his perfecting in his directing. (There were places where scenes were shot depicting his unhappy home life and scenes were shot depicting, in turn, scenes that were being shot for the movie "Psycho", and it was difficult at times to distinguish between the two types of scenes.) Again, the actors were well-chosen. Though he was not a spitting image of Hitchcock, Anthony Hopkins did portray the part of that man well, with the same bald head and the corpulent body. Helen Mirren adapted well to the role of Alma Hitchcock, Alfred's often-hostile wife. The beautiful Scarlett Johannson came across well as the beautiful actress Janet Leigh, and was virtually an exact look-alike of Leigh. The appealing Jessica Biel acted well the part of Vera Miles. I remember Anthony Perkins from some of his '50's movies, and James D'Arcy looked very much like, and sounded very much like, Perkins himself. The scene of, in turn, again, the shower scene from "Psycho" was done well, loud and scary, and here also Hitchcock was authentic, being so obsessed and/or possessed. Yes, the cast was impressive. Again, an excellent biopic about the Master of Suspense and, simultaneously, an excellent brief account about the making of the movie "Psycho".

I had really low expectations for this movie going in. I hate it when big name actors in the autumn of their years go in for playing dress up, putting on lots of makeup and pretending to be legendary icons. I was really dreading Anthony Hopkins in a fat suit for two hours, walking around saying "Good Evening," in a phony Hitchcock voice. Funnily enough, I was right that Hopkins as Hitchcock was mostly mannerism and very little real emotion. But surrounding him is the most amazing cast, and they bring together a miracle -- a story of warmth and humor about the making of a truly ghastly film, Hitchcock's PSYCHO. Although Helen Mirren receives most of the attention as Hitchock's patient, long suffering wife Alma, (looking pained and thoughtful in every scene, even when she's trying on a new bathing suit) it's really the younger ladies who steal the show. Scarlett Johannson is an enchanting Janet Leigh -- sexy, playful, eager to please, obviously very ambitious but fun-loving and friendly as well. Jessica Biel is even more amazing as Vera Miles, the "bad girl" who said no to Hitchcock and refuses to back down before him on the set of his latest film. With only a small part, Jessica Biel still conjures up an air of mystery and allure, defiance and enigmatic power. Hitchcock hates that he can't own her, like the make believe women in his movies. Yet the viewer ends up loving her for that very reason!The truth is, as a story about Hitchcock himself this movie isn't much. It's his amazing team that comes to life. James D'Arcy barely gets five minutes as Anthony Perkins, the twitchy and closeted boy actor who made Norman Bates into a legend. Yet D'Arcy plays Perkins with such absolute and utter assurance that you wish the whole movie was about him. The same with Michael Stuhlbarg, (Arnold Rothstein in the HBO series BOARDWALK EMPIRE) who plays Hitchcock's long time agent and business manager. These guys walk off with every scene and are just as powerful as the ladies! Oddly enough, this movie reminded me less of PSYCHO and more of KING LEAR. You have an aging titan, a king who wants to control everyone around him. And all of the lesser characters have to find their own path to independence, obeying and setting limits, defying but showing loyalty. It's easy to see how Janet Leigh becomes the "good" daughter in Hitchcock's imagination, like Cordelia, while Vera Miles becomes the "bad" daughter, like Regan and Goneril. But unlike in Lear both daughters learn how to assert themselves while helping the king to regain his throne. It's an oddly warm and touching story set against the making of a nightmare film. Favorite scene: Hitchcock, telling Tony Perkins that he's "peeping" at the naked woman in the shower. James D'Arcy looks so sweet and helpless (and gay) saying, "Mr. Hitchcock, why would Norman want to look at that woman in the shower?" And Janet Leigh is so naughty and sexy, saying, "I feel very insulted by that question!" But the minute she sees how clueless Tony Perkins is, she shifts gear and comes right to his rescue. ("Maybe this is a ritual for him. Maybe this reminds him of his mother!") It's so funny, so sweet, so sad, and it actually helps you understand how PSYCHO was made. Now why did I give this movie seven stars instead of nine or ten? Well, I was right about how bad Tony Hopkins looks in a fat suit. He's really just phoning it in. And Helen Mirren is just irritating as the endlessly put-upon wife. Who, for some strange reason, has the most amazing collection of eyeglasses this side of Elton John! Did anyone else notice she wears a different pair in every scene? And they all look very, very Nineties, not at all the early Sixties! Oh, and her reddish brown wig is on crooked in a lot of scenes too. Little things like that are all that keep HITCHCOCK from being a true gem!

I clicked open this film because I admire Alfred Hitchcock's fame and his work, but this is far more tedious than I anticipated. Alfred Hitchcock is indisputably a genius, and we are eagerly curious about his personal life, but it gives me the impression that it's rather boring and bereaved of any adventure or romance. Even though the film strives to exaggerate his love towards his creative and independent wife Alma, that obscure and plain love affair cannot support the legendary atmosphere fox company grants his films.Although I feel obliged to comment on Scarlet Johansson and James Darcy's acting skills, I barely seen any of their charms because all young actors are shaded under the glory of great Alfred Hitchcock, who according to Anthony Hopkin's depiction, is a pervert and self- centered wrinkled ball that breathes like a old bellow with tons of coal crumbs stuffed in it. Although I admire Alfred Hitchcock's talent, it doesn't interest me whether he keeps his swimming pool or have his reservation in a luxurious truffle from somewhere in Europe . They are fist world problems, and I have seen old artists sleeping on the street with newspapers as their blankets and granite as beds.In the shower scene Hitchcock was under the delusion that Janet was Whitfield, the knucklehead that had an affair with his wife. And the scene gave audience the impression that he was going to stab Janet, which gave the shower scene in Psycho an authentic texture. But you know, most people would at least confront Alma before murderous thoughts emerge, and the stress depicted caused by the imaginary affair in the movie is beyond the reasonable level. Failure of this emotional twist makes the whole film sort of artificial.I must click acclaim for the ending. That promotion manual is exciting, and the audience's reaction is palatable, and the spotlight around the red carpet lights up the mood just right. But when Sir Anthony Hopkins is seemingly directing waves of screaming, I hope they can remove that waiter from the background. His presence is really awkward. And probably a revolving shot would be better, in a more open and larger field, because that major highlight scene makes Hitchcock seems like a self-absorbed weirdo