Most actors go big when they want to show a character losing their mind. They scream at the ceiling or develop a twitch that looks like it belongs in a silent film. But in Secret Window, Johnny Depp does something way more uncomfortable. He just sits there.
He naps. He wears a bathrobe that looks like it hasn't been washed since the Clinton administration. He eats Doritos for dinner.
Honestly, if you've ever gone through a bad breakup or a period of creative burnout, the first half of this movie feels less like a psychological thriller and more like a mirror. You've been there. Maybe not in a secluded cabin in upstate New York, but definitely in that headspace where the dishes are piling up and your main conversation partner is a dog named Chico.
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But then John Shooter shows up.
The Plagiarism Nightmare Most People Get Wrong
The movie, directed by David Koepp and based on Stephen King’s novella Secret Window, Secret Garden, starts with a premise every writer fears: plagiarism. John Turturro plays Shooter, a man who looks like he stepped out of a Gothic nightmare from Mississippi. He claims Mort Rainey (Depp) stole his story, "Sowing Season."
People usually focus on the "who is he?" mystery. But the real tension isn't about whether Mort stole the story. It’s about the loss of identity. Mort is already hollowed out by his divorce from Amy (Maria Bello). When someone attacks his work—the only thing he has left—he doesn't just get defensive. He unravels.
What’s wild is how the movie handles the "proof." Mort spends the entire film waiting for a copy of Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine to arrive. He’s convinced that once he shows Shooter the publication date, everything will go back to normal. It’s a very human mistake. He thinks logic can stop a monster.
It can't.
Why the Ending Still Sparks Arguments
If you haven't seen the movie in twenty years, you might forget how bleak the ending actually is. It’s one of the few times a Hollywood adaptation actually went darker than the source material.
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In King's novella, Mort dies. He’s stopped. But in the 2004 film, Mort wins.
Sorta.
The reveal—that John Shooter is just a manifestation of Mort’s Dissociative Identity Disorder—isn't just a twist. It’s a total takeover. By the time the credits roll, Mort Rainey is gone. There’s only Shooter left, a man who has "fixed" the ending of his life by burying his ex-wife and her lover under a corn patch.
The most chilling part? The corn.
The final scene shows Mort, looking healthier and more energized than he has the entire film, eating corn from that garden. He’s cured his writer's block. He’s happy. He’s a murderer. Koepp makes the point that for some people, madness isn't a breakdown—it's a solution.
The Little Details You Missed
Depp’s performance is full of these tiny, weird tics that make more sense on a second watch.
- The Jaw Click: He does this weird thing with his mouth when he’s stressed. It’s a physical sign of the two personalities grinding against each other.
- The Wardrobe: That tattered robe isn't just a costume choice; it’s a security blanket. When he finally sheds it at the end for a crisp, clean shirt, you know the "old" Mort is dead.
- The Name: "Shooter." Amy realizes too late that it’s a command: "Shoot her." It’s right there in front of us the whole time.
Filmed largely in Quebec (doubling for New York), the scenery is gorgeous but claustrophobic. The cabin feels like a cage. Even the way Philip Glass’s score swirls around the dialogue makes you feel like you’re trapped in a drain.
What Secret Window Teaches Us About Creative Burnout
Look, hopefully you aren't hiding bodies in the backyard. But Secret Window is surprisingly accurate about the isolation of the "creative life."
When you spend all day inside your own head, the walls between what’s real and what you’re making up get thin. Mort Rainey is a cautionary tale about what happens when you stop engaging with the world and start living entirely in your own narrative.
He didn't just lose his wife. He lost his grip on which story he was actually in.
If you're going to revisit this classic, don't just watch for the jump scares. Look at the way Mort talks to himself. Watch how he treats the people who actually try to help him, like Ken Karsch (Charles S. Dutton). He’s pushing everyone away because, deep down, he knows that if anyone gets too close, they’ll see that there’s nobody home.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Rewatch
- Watch the reflections: Throughout the movie, Mort is often filmed through glass or in mirrors. Count how many times his reflection doesn't quite match his movements.
- Check the lighting: As the movie progresses, the lighting in the cabin gets colder. It reflects Mort's internal "freezing out" of his old life.
- Compare the versions: If you've only seen the movie, go read the novella in Four Past Midnight. The difference in how the "Shooter" entity is handled (supernatural vs. psychological) is a masterclass in how different mediums tell the same story.
There’s no "fix" for what happened to Mort Rainey. But there is a lesson: pay attention to the stories you tell yourself, because eventually, you might start to believe them. And once you’re the villain in your own head, it’s a lot harder to find the exit.