Hitchcock - 9 stars out of 10

Hitchcock - 9 stars out of 10

I have such a deep love and respect for the work of Alfred Hitchcock that this homage to his life and vision is very moving.  WARNING: You must NOT see this film before you see the original “Psycho!”  As this film explores the making of “Psycho,” all of the story's jaw-dropping surprises are revealed and this is essentially the ultimate spoiler for one of the most unpredictable stories in cinematic history.  The script is incredibly well written, interspersing the drama of the production with the drama of Hitchcock's marriage.  The famous scenes come to life in new ways by revealing the controversies and filming challenges to help "Psycho" get past the censors.  Although Anthony Hopkins' make-up isn't perfect, his acting transforms him into the titular character with perfection.  Dark and witty, he carries this entire film on his shoulders as his frustrations and insecurities motivate him to create a masterpiece.  Scarlett Johansson was lovely as Janet Leigh and Danny Huston was perfectly cast as the sneaky Whitfield Cook.  The surprise of the film (though I shouldn't have been surprised) was Helen Mirren as Hitchcock's wife, Alma.  She is always a fantastic actress but her passionate monologue in the middle of the film stole the show.  If anybody deserved an Oscar nomination for this film, it was her.  The chemistry of this cast (Hopkins-Mirren, Hopkins-Johansson, Mirren-Huston) is top notch and the combination of storytelling technique, humor, and incredible acting make this a moment in history that has been captured so that we can watch it over and over again.