Windfall – A Breath of Fresh Air Crime Drama

Charlie McDowell’s Windfall is a robbery-gone-wrong-turning-into-kidnapping film. When Nobody (Segel) attempts a robbery at a CEO’s (Plemons) secluded house, things go awry when the CEO and his wife (Collins) make a surprise arrival. Unable to leave, Nobody is forced to keep the pair hostage in their own house at gunpoint and extort money from them. While this could have been portrayed in a conventional manner, the filmmakers instead took a different route, making riveting creative choices that allow it to stand out from the crowd.

The thing going for Windfall is its unconventionality. Nobody had no plan of keeping the CEO and his wife kidnapped. For those wondering about gags and torture, they won’t find any here. The film has almost no violence. Based on the actions of the characters, the film does not give the slightest hint of there being a hostage situation. It is hard to recollect a film with a kidnapper situation portrayed in this manner. The banter between Nobody and CEO is serious and introspective while also occasionally funny, especially with some of Plemons’ line deliveries as CEO. The incredulity of the situation just makes it all the more interesting.

Meanwhile, the film’s setting is sunny and peaceful. That being said, the air is stiff with awkwardness, with only four characters who purposefully share no chemistry whatsoever. While the CEO and Wife might give the illusion of a cute couple, their married life is anything but cute. Both of them make snide remarks to each other throughout. The relationship between these three characters is sure to keep viewers hooked and invested. These murky waters of character dynamics also posit the critical question of who is the victim here. The film also broaches some themes, albeit slightly, that resonate with the real world. Some technology developed by CEO resulted in numerous people losing their jobs, including possibly Nobody, thus becoming the main point of contention between them.

All three leads deliver noteworthy performances. Segel delivers a grounded, dramatic performance as Nobody while Collins also does a good job in a role that is the exact opposite of her character from Emily in Paris. And then, of course, there’s Plemons. His performance might remind viewers of his fantastic turn in Game Night. Again a different kind of role, but rightly so because even here, he knocks it out of the park playing an arrogant CEO.

The score plays a vital role in the film. The eerie music rouses the right kind of tensions and anxiety that a movie of such kind needs. The score feels so engrained to the story and film that we would be looking at something very different if it had been anything else. The editing also contributes to maintaining the required tone throughout. Though the film takes place in a single setting that was quite scenic and beautiful, it is not adequately used to its advantage. The house itself could have played a more prominent role in the film to add more substance, but this sadly was not the case here.

In the end, Windfall hits viewers like fresh air with its originality and unique take on the genre. While it might not necessarily be a large production, it still works wonders with its limited narrative scope. It is especially a treat for those who like reading between the lines and are fans of the crime genre.

still courtesy of Netflix

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