Open Windows (2014) Reviews

• Bonkers high-tech thriller that eventually overreaches itself

  leominosa2014-08-29

  I watched writer/director Nacho Vigalondo's Timecrimes a few years ago and was very impressed by the film generally, but especially by the unabashed ambition and imagination on display in what was a first feature-length effort. Open Windows demonstrates that Vigalondo's ambition and imagination is undiminished, but he could do with a little more restraint. The set-up has echoes of Rear Window and Phone Booth, as Elijah Wood's super-fan Nick (a supposed competition-winner in town for a meeting with his favourite actress) finds himself let down. The curiously London-accented "campaign manager" for said actress (equally curiously named Chord) gets in touch, but evidently has motives of his own as he begins to manipulate Nick. The situation gets increasingly disturbing as the suspiciously tech-savvy Chord continuously ups the ante. To summarise the plot from here would take as long as the film given the density of events and twists, but overall the story gets progressively more bonkers and convoluted before careering off the road in admittedly entertaining fashion. Vigalondo might be too imaginative for his own good at times, and I'd class Open Windows as a noble failure, but it's entertaining nonetheless.

• God bless Nacho Vigalondo

  basil19842014-04-09

  God bless Nacho Vigalondo ('Timecrimes' / 'Extraterrestrial'); he is a madman in person and in practice. 'Open Windows' is another attempt at an unconventional, high-concept thriller exploring the medium of film at its heart - action through time - and in ways that no one else has even conceived of. Elijah Wood's character is set up in a hotel in Austin having won a sweepstakes to meet his favorite actress, played by Sasha Grey - who, based on some of her IMDb titles ('Anal Artist' / 'Pop Goes the Weasel' / 'House of Ass 3'), isn't likely a Disney alum. When Wood is notified by her representative, 'Chord', that she has canceled their meeting and that being rude to her fans is nothing new, as a supposed retaliation, he's presented with the opportunity for remote access to the actress' laptop, phone, and webcam. The film doesn't take much time dealing with the ethics of spying on someone but, rather, jumps right into a fast-passed thrill ride that has Wood's character jumping for A to B to C as Chord's true intentions unfold. The story is told in real-time, almost entirely on the screen of a laptop, with practical cameras following multiple events, and various plot points reveled through pop-up windows on the screen. The film was cleverly introduced as a modern-day 'Rear Window' and the gimmick does work; it took some time to get used to but, the tension ramps up quickly and, though the format is pivotal to the story, you almost forget that you're watching anything but a standard narrative. Unfortunately, it's the technology within the narrative that stretches disbelief a bit too far as the twists and turns become more and more bizarre. I'm always curious to see what Vigalondo has up his sleeve and his ambitions did not disappoint but the limitations he imposes on himself as a filmmaker seem to have pushed the state of modern technology into the realm of 'fantasy' which distracts from what is, otherwise, an inventive hostage/who-dun-it scenario.

• High Tech Voyeurism can be deadly

  praveer-mishra2014-05-05

  Beautiful film starlet Jill Goddard (Sasha Grey) is one of the hottest young actresses in Hollywood, and is the object of Nick Chambers' (Elijah Wood) affections. Nick runs a fan website devoted to Jill. Lucky for Nick he has just won a contest to meet Jill in Austin, TX. As Nick sits in his hotel room awaiting his dinner date with Jill he is watching a webcast of a press conference with Jill to promote her new movie. Nick is contacted by a man named Chord (Neil Maskell) who claims to be Jill's manager as the press conference is happening live. Chord informs Nick that Jill has decided not to meet him. Nick is disappointed and angry, but Chord has another way Nick can meet Jill… All Nick has to do is perform a series of tasks for Chord. Open Windows is a Spanish-American production from writer / director Nacho Vigalondo. The film is told through a series of different browser windows on a computer screen where the characters are being manipulated by the mysterious Chord. Chord draws Nick into his game by allowing Nick to get "special access" to Jill by tapping her smart phone and manipulating a liaison for Jill and her boyfriend to take place at hotel Nick is staying at so Nick can watch. After Nick is caught peeping into their room by Jill's boyfriend Tony, Chord manipulates Nick into attacking Tony which is all Chord needs to trap Nick into doing whatever he wants. A pointless sub plot of the film involves a group of French hackers who are online watching all of Nick's moves who Nick tries to recruit into stopping Chord and his evil plot. THE VERDICT: While the movie starts off well introducing the characters and their motivations, the gimmick of seeing these characters evolve through various browser windows on a screen gets old fast. Midway through the second act of the film the introduction of the French Hackers adds a hackey and pointless element to the film that distracts from the central plot themes. While the film initially starts off showing the dangers of the networked online lives that we all live these days it ends up the same by the numbers territory that all of these movies end up in. Open Windows might make for an interesting DVD release, it certainly isn't worth a trip to the theater.

• Just sat through this at London's Frightfest

  cabellwalter2014-08-24

  OK, the most frightening aspect of this film is that it was actually included in today's line-up at London's Frightfest. Not scary, not thrilling, just extremely tedious. The director got caught up in his gimmicky virtuoso approach to a sub-par screenplay with a mildly interesting premise. At one point things got so convoluted and ludicrous that he attempted to claw his way out of the plot contrivances hole he dug himself in, not with one, but with two car chase sequences. During the Q&A people left 'en-masse', brutal but necessary payback. What a stinking mess!

• Over complicated! 4/10

  leonblackwood2015-05-16

  Review: I wasn't a big fan of this movie. I didn't have a clue what was going on half of the time because the plot kept on changing without much explanation. When it all came together at the end I was quite surprised with the outcome but I don't think that it was well put together. The director over complicated the movie and he made it go in different directions which just became annoying after a while. Anyway, the movie is about a man whose obsessed with an actress and when he finds out that he has won a contest to have dinner with her, he really can't believe that his dream has come true. When he finds out from a mysterious caller that she has cancelled the meal because she can't be bothered to go, the mysterious man offers him exclusive access to the actress life, via cameras and hacking into her laptop and phone. After snooping into her private life, he realises that the mysterious man isn't all that he seems and he's ends up trying to save  the actresses life whilst putting his own life in danger. Its an original concept but it's executed badly. Elijah Wood put in a good performance because he brought intensity throughout the whole film and he made the situation seem real. On the plus side, this movie does show how easy it is to get into people's private lives with ease but for entertainment, it could have been much better. Watchable but not that great! Round-Up: Elijah Wood has taken on some weird projects since playing Frodo in the Lord of the Rings franchise, like Grand Piano, Maniac and Revenge For Jolly, and most of his films seem to go straight to DVD. At 34, I doubt that he would be happy with the way that his career has turned out after the major blockbuster but he has got a film with Vin Diesel coming out soon, called The Last Witch Hunter, so that might bring him back in the spotlight. The moody and dark settings in this movie, worked well with the subject matter but it seemed like the director lost the plot. Some of the clever camera work was impressive and I liked the use of the different computer windows throughout the movie but it's a shame that the script was so sketchy. I recommend this movie to people who are into their thrillers about an man who obsessed with a famous actress and wins a competition to have dinner with her but he finds out that the dinner is off so he seeks revenge with the help from a mystery caller. 4/10