Hitchcock: it takes two to make Psycho

In Hitchcock, Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren star as Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Hitchcock as they collaborate on making Psycho.  It’s a glimpse into their relationship and their professional teamwork, both challenged by Hitchcock’s quirkiness.  In a very successful device, the serial killer Ed Gein (who inspired Psycho) appears as a character visible only to Hitchcock.

Of course, Mirren and Hopkins (beneath heavy makeup) are excellent as always.  Scarlett Johansson is very good as Janet Leigh, as are Danny Huston, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jessica Biel and Toni Colette in supporting roles.  (The actor who plays Ed Gein, Michael Wincott, resembles Warren Oates, one of my favorite actors from 60s and 70s.)

Hitchcock is entertaining and even rises to exhilarating when Hitchcock paces the theater lobby at Psycho’s premiere, waiting for the audience to scream at the shower scene.