"Hitchcock" (2012)

This is a really frustrating movie, since it moves at a brisk pace attempting to get all the myths answered, but in the end walking away with more questions than answers about Alfred Hitchcock’s making of “Psycho.” What we gather from the movie is his insecurities matched with his ability to take risks. And in the end, we know the outcome. So how did this get made into a movie? It seems they tried to get clever. By having Hitchcock narrate it himself. The same as he would his shows.

Hitchcock is played by Anthony Hopkins. Because the director is so iconic, his clever wit are moments we wait for. And they seem to come at pitch perfect timing. Something that draws way too much attention to the personality of Hitch and not necessarily the man. Yes, he was witty, but the banter is very uneven. It suffers from balancing his dark sense of humor with rudeness and cruelty. We’re not sure which one it is. The movie is referenced throughout by the actual source material. The real life serial killer Ed Gein, who whispers in his ear all the terrible thoughts, an internal monologue. But it seems so silly to stagger his visions of Gein to suit his mood. Or actually convenient. As I also doubt Gein would’ve been that expressive in his own thoughts.

Along for the ride, is his wife and collaborator Alma played briskly by Hellen Mirren. She is the real star of the movie, since she is the invisible talent that we learn did more for Hitch’s career than we realize. Perhaps it was the system at the time, when women weren’t taken so seriously. Or maybe it was just better to have the myth of genius foisted on Hitch as he generously lapped up the praise. Or maybe it's just being politically correct. Again, the truth is likely somewhere in the middle.

I don’t fully understand Hitchcock as a complete person. As we discover in the making of “Psycho” he mortgaged his home to fund the production of it (a myth, never happened). Yet, the shoot was consumed by what he thought was his wife having an extra-curricular affair. Was it a possibility? More than likely. Did it belong in this movie? I’m not sure how you would make her interesting if all she did was garden.

I didn’t know all that much personal about Hitchcock going in. He was always a film school favorite, considering his mode of working was unconventional. I’m sure our movies are really influenced by him today. Especially certain are how murder mysteries are constructed. To me, maybe his overblown popularity struck me in the same sense Woody Allen movies do. When you like them, you can’t shut up about them. This movie is a light snack if you plan on watching “Psycho” afterwards. So, in all, it’s not bad. But, the tone of the whole movie gets pulled into Lifetime movie land. Which is strange, considering who we’re talking about. Or appropriate if you consider their library of murder mysteries.