It starts off with kind of a wacky, Coen Brothers energy and then turns into a much darker thriller. It's an intriguing premise and I liked the cast, but it feels a bit undercooked.
Things happen that don't have proper buildup or explanation and some of the logic is a bit iffy. It's interesting, however it can really drag with some of the long, awkward staring into space scenes. It's definitely not the best Netflix film, but far from the worst.
Windfall
2022
Action / Crime / Drama / Thriller
Windfall
2022
Action / Crime / Drama / Thriller
Plot summary
A man breaks into a tech billionaire's empty vacation home, but things go sideways when the arrogant mogul and his wife arrive for a last-minute getaway.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
March 18, 2022 at 09:33 AM
Director
Tech specs
720p.WEB 1080p.WEBMovie Reviews
Bit of an odd film
Tries hard to do nothing
This was definitely a noir style film, it felt like they were trying to recreate 1970's slow burn thrillers, even with the extended opening credits, but it fails spectacularly as a film in the genre.
I get it, we had a pandemic, this explains the barebones cast, no issue with that. But, despite a limited cast, it's possible to still make an engaging film if it's actually engaging.
There was just so much sitting around and staring in this film. Scores of empty pages of dialogue...then a ludicrous "accident" happens 3/4 into the movie in an attempt to raise the stakes, but it just comes off as absurd, and then the ending just sort of happens, and I shrugged my shoulders and said to myself "that was a waste of time."
This film would have only worked with the ending as it was, if we were given some deeper reason for the wife's actions other then "poor little rich girl feels trapped", which is why she (checks notes) shoots her husband dead. O. K.?
The power of a good script
You can have a film with a $250 million budget, but if what is written on the pages of the script isn't interesting then it's not going to matter a lick. Conversely, you can have a budget of next to nothing, but if you're working with a well written script then you can have the audience captivated. 'Windfall' is a perfect example of the latter. A movie that wouldn't have cost much more than the actor's salaries had me glued to the screen.
I really like the trio of actors they picked for this movie. Jesse Plemons is probably my favourite actor working today so that helped a lot. I haven't seen a lot of Lily Collins, however everything I've seen her in she was terrific. The case is the same here. Finally Jason Segel I though was an inspired choice. There's something fascinating about an actor known primarily for their comedy work taking on a serious role. It can take a little while to adjust your brain to it, but once you do it's usually a treat.
Some are going to find the film a little flat. There is a lot of talking and if you're not in the mood to be patient then it may test you. Also there aren't many characters and two of them at least are pretty deplorable people. That's not to say they're not interesting and complex characters, but spending 90 minutes with unlikable characters can be a chore.
I really liked this one though. It was exactly the type of film I'd like to see being made more often. And there's no reason they can't when you can make them on a dime. I would recommend checking this one out on Netflix. 8/10.