Asking Nicely: The Witch in the Window (2018)

My dear readers, though some will undoubtedly find this to be a quaint and perhaps old fashioned attitude, I have always found myself deeply moved by the bonds formed between a father and his son. I still vividly recall the many happy hours I spent watching my father in his workshop, toiling away at his bench and doing his best to resuscitate failing machinery, passing on generations of wisdom to his only child through the manly art of silent demonstration. Despite the wide range of available tools, the mallet always seemed to be his instrument of choice and it was my greatest thrill to watch him calling out the names of his former lovers as he brought it down and again and again and again. Though sometimes the way he went at it made it seem as though repair was not his foremost priority, it all still seemed rather instructive. Had my father not made this time for me, I simply cannot imagine how I might have turned out.

The film delivers entirely on the promise of its title

Simon (Alex Draper), a father of a young boy, feels just the same. Separated from his wife, he is only permitted the occasional visit with his son Finn (Charlie Tacker) and so he tries to make the most of their time by recruiting him for an extensive home remodeling project. Simon tells Finn that he acquired the property in the hopes of “flipping” it but his son sees through his charade. The house isn’t meant for resale at all -- instead, it is an eleventh-hour attempt to win back his wife’s favor by constructing the kind of cozy country estate she has always dreamed of inhabiting.

However, construction on the house is complicated by a previous resident who has yet to entirely vacate the premises. Lydia (Carol Stanzione), spinster and alleged practitioner of the black arts, died while looking out the upstairs window and though her body was removed, her essence has proved to be a bit more stubborn. Unlike many a lingering spirit, Lydia actually implores Simon and son to stay. Unfortunately, her appearance is a little off-putting due to her having been deceased for some time and I would say the manner and volume of her requests are perhaps not as welcoming as one might like. The whole business of her popping up unannounced and shrieking at them to stick around doesn’t seem to work in anyone’s favor and Simon fears he may have to abandon the project entirely.

Which is really a terrible shame, given how rarely one sees an agreeable solution for all parties where haunted properties are concerned. This opportunity for a harmonious resolution might have been missed if Lydia had kept on requesting that people to stick around with her rather off-putting tone. The surrounding film has none of her flash and anger, managing to be terribly restrained throughout. And herein lies the filmmaker’s message to us all -- a more delicate approach is well within reach. Though one never expects to see horror films serve as a source of pleas for decorum, we can hardly be picky at a time when our political discourse is at its most coarse and divisive. The Witch in the Window is a timely reminder that when it comes to really getting things done, sometimes asking nicely is the best approach.

The Witch in the Window runs 77 minutes and does not possess a certified rating in the United States.