An early entry from the Oscar and Cannes-winning director of ‘Ida’ and ‘Cold War’, ‘The Woman in the Fifth’ adapts Douglas Kennedy’s beguiling mystery thriller of the same name and will keep you guessing till the end.
American writer Tom Ricks (Ethan Hawke) arrives in Paris desperate to put his life together again and win back the love of his estranged wife and daughter. When things don’t go according to plan, he ends up in a shady hotel in the suburbs, having to work as a night guard to make ends meet. At the same time, he encounters Margit (Kristin Scott Thomas), a beautiful and mysterious stranger. Though things initially start to look up, their passionate and intense relationship triggers a string of inexplicable events, with Tom unsure of what is real or imagined.
Pawlikowski’s enigmatic thriller features fine performances by the leads, as well as ‘Cold War’ star Johanna Kulig.
★★★★ “An intriguing enigma” - David Gritten, The Telegraph
