Netflix’s The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window Early Review

When it comes to The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window, that ridiculously long title does most of the groundwork by setting the tone nicely. It’s a ridiculously-entertaining miniseries that almost certainly won’t be for everyone. Based on the trailers and promotional material, the inspirations are plain to see. A deadpan parody of The Woman in the Window and other psychological thriller films and series, its humour essentially comes from its ridiculous premise but that being said, its success comes from its ability to straddle that line without ever going over the edge. What ultimately holds it all together is a sensational and committed lead performance from Kristen Bell.

The Woman in the House, as mentioned, follows Anna (Bell), a grief-stricken woman who spent most of her days in her home and drinking a comically-absurd amount of wine while watching the outside world pass her by. However, there would be a lot more to that story. Suffering from fear of the rain, or ombrophonia, Anna was resigned to that routine until things suddenly changed after a single-father named Neil (Tom Riley) and her daughter Emma (Samsara Leela Yett) move in across the street. Perhaps fantasizing a life she could have had, it seemed like she may have finally found a way out of her vicious cycle and possible future, this would clearly not be the case as she appeared to witness a murder but did she?

Between her drinking and her medication, one can’t help but skeptical of what Anna saw as others around her led her to believe that she didn’t see what she thought she saw. Despite this, she was steadfast in her belief that she saw a murder across the street. With no one on her side, it was up to Anna to prove to everyone that she was right and that would mean solving the murder. Suffice it to say that this investigation took her on a wild journey full of twists and turns tempered by her aforementioned issues though those just made it all that much more fun to watch. Playing up the tension and the melodrama, finding the truth behind the murder and the circumstances leading up to it definitely wasn’t easy as it was also Anna’s way to maybe pull herself out of her issues. With the series being what it is, this wasn’t necessarily going to be the case.

Not a skilled detective by any means, Anna kept finding herself in trouble by putting herself at risk the deeper she got as she stumbled her way through her own investigation. The only question became whether or not she’ll survive once it’s all over. The redemption angle, to a certain extent because this is a parody series, and that investigation angle were both satisfying to watch as the series kept up the parody all the way until the end, leading to a truly wacky conclusion.

In the end, the best part of The Woman in the House was the writing and Bell’s sensational performance as the comically-flawed Anna to bring it all to life. She commits to the ridiculous premise as she grounds the series with a likeable and very human performance that keeps it from going off the rails while her comedic timing worked wonders here. The series was essentially her but it also featured a solid supporting cast for whom had strong chemistry with Bell, including Michael Ealy as Anna’s ex-husband Douglas as well as Riley as Neil and a scene-stealing Yett as Emma.

At the end of the day, those looking for something different will find that with The Woman in the House, a bonkers watch that works great as a binge.

still courtesy of Netflix

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.