Sacha Gervasi‘s Hitchcock (Fox Searchlight, 11.23) opens the AFIFest tonight at 7:30 pm with an after-party at the Roosevelt Hotel. I know that Helen Mirren‘s performance as Alma Hitchcock is going to be a home run, and I hope Anthony Hopkins, as husband Alfred, matches her. The only concern I have is that Hopkins’ face looks artificially padded — a bit unnatural. But I suppose I’ll get used to it.

I read a version of the script two or three years ago, and my sense of the film that might have resulted was that viewers would have to really know Psycho backwards and forwards to fully enjoy it. Chuckles, chuckles and more chuckles. I hope it’s like that. I hope it hasn’t been dumbed down.

Scarlett Johansson, Danny Huston, Toni Collette, Jessica Biel, Michael Stuhlbarg and James D’Arcy costar. Screenplay by John J. McLaughlin, based on the book by Stephan Rebello. Shot by Jeff Cronenenweth, scored by Danny Elfman.