Peter Weir's first Hollywood film places Harrison Ford as John Book, a big city police officer, who, after investigating a case involving police corruption, hides out in an Amish community. Ford's performance is spectacular, proving his capabilities as a dramatic actor. Many of the scenes work well Weir uses his trademark `stranger in a strange land' theme to create an interesting premise. The little details about Amish culture and how Book fits in with them are fascinating. However, in the movie's attempt to tell several different stories a love interest, the culture clash, and the police conflicts lead to the latter one being undeveloped and almost feeling unnecessary. To make matters worse, the film resolves itself in a very standard, tacked on payoff, that seems grossly out of place in an otherwise touching, well crafted film. A very strong film overall, brought down just a little by Hollywood's desire to please its crowds.
