Witness: Harrison Ford Goes Amish, But Does It Work?

Alright, fellow Gen X'ers, moviebuff_marc here. Just re-watched "Witness" the other night. Man, 1985! Anyone else remember rocking out to "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" while this was in theaters? Anyway, "Witness". Harrison Ford, fresh off Indy and Star Wars, playing a gritty Philly cop hiding out with the Amish. Kinda weird premise, right? But it totally works! What I always loved about this movie is the fish-out-of-water thing, but not just for Ford's character, Book. You also see it from the Amish perspective, this modern detective with his gun and his anger crashing into their peaceful world. That barn-raising scene? Just gorgeous. Visually, it's stunning, and the way they all work together, it's just... satisfying. And Kelly McGillis as Rachel Lapp? Talk about repressed desires! You can feel the tension between her and Book building, even though they're from completely different worlds. I'm not always a fan of romance subplots but in this movie IT was well done. Don't get me wrong, it's not perfect. The bad guys are a little cartoonish, especially the head baddie, Schaeffer, and some of the pacing lags a bit in the middle. But those quiet moments, the way director...uh...who directed this, anyway? Peter Weir, IMDB tells me...the way Weir captures the beauty and simplicity of Amish life? That's what sticks with you. It's a far cry from Raiders, or Star Wars, but Ford somehow makes that character his own. Overall, its got a great story, some good drama, and it's just plain beautiful to watch. If you're looking for something a little different from the action flicks we seem to be swamped with these days, give "Witness" another go. You might be surprised at how well it holds up. What do you all think? Am I just blinded by nostalgia, or is this one a true gem from the 80s?