Windfall
Release poster
Directed byCharlie McDowell
Screenplay by
Story by
  • Charlie McDowell
  • Jason Segel
  • Justin Lader
  • Andrew Kevin Walker
Produced by
Starring
  • Lily Collins
  • Jesse Plemons
  • Jason Segel
CinematographyIsiah Donté Lee
Edited byDavid Marks
Music by
  • Danny Bensi
  • Saunder Jurriaans
Production
companies
  • High Frequency Entertainment
  • Cloudbreak Pictures
  • Mutressa Movies
Distributed byNetflix
Release date
  • March 18, 2022 (2022-03-18)
Running time
92 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Windfall is a 2022 American crime thriller film directed by Charlie McDowell from a screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker and Justin Lader. The film stars Jason Segel, Lily Collins, and Jesse Plemons.

Windfall was released on March 18, 2022, by Netflix.[1][2]

Plot

A wealthy CEO and his wife come to their vacation home only to discover a burglar. The CEO agrees to give him money and forget about the ordeal without calling the police, but the burglar locks them in a sauna.

Returning to his car, the burglar spots a camera recording him. He returns to the house and confronts them. He now asks for $500,000 in cash. The CEO calls his assistant, who tells him that the money will arrive the following afternoon.

Several conversations between the trio make it clear that the CEO and his wife are in a strained relationship, although the CEO looks forward to having children. At night, the wife tells the burglar that she is not happy with her life; the burglar tells her to stop calling herself a victim for marrying a man for his wealth.

The next day, the CEO guesses the burglar was an employee made redundant by the algorithm he has invented, which aids companies undergoing downsizing. A gardener arrives to work on the house. He takes them outside and talks to the CEO about planting an oak tree. The CEO writes the gardener 'Call 911' on his sketch of the garden. The burglar takes notice and orders the gardener to enter the house. His wife and the burglar criticize the CEO for jeopardizing another person's life.

After a few hours, the CEO finally breaks. He belittles the burglar and claims he will not do anything to them because his life is meaningless. After the burglar shoots a warning shot, the gardener tries to escape. He trips and falls through a glass door, and a shard of glass pierces his neck, killing him.

The money is left in front of the house, so the wife retrieves it. She sees a passing car but does not signal it before returning inside. The burglar ties up the CEO and his wife in different rooms. The burglar admits to the CEO that he wanted to know what it was like to live like a rich person. He reveals to him that his wife is taking birth control pills. Cutting herself free, she kills the burglar with a small statue. She then shoots her husband dead, plants the gun in the burglar's hand, and leaves the property.

Cast

Production

Filming took place in March 2021 in Ojai, California, with production fully wrapping in July.[3] Later that month, Netflix acquired the film for a "major eight-figures" sum.[4]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 59% of 80 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.7/10. The website's consensus reads: "Windfall is hardly a bounty of cinematic riches, but a killer cast keeps this minimalistic thriller from going creatively bankrupt."[5] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 52 out of 100, based on 21 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[6]

References

  1. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 3, 2022). "Netflix 2022 Film Slate Touts 86 Titles Including Star-Studded Fare Knives Out 2, The Gray Man, The School For Good And Evil & More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  2. ↑ Squires, John (February 15, 2022). "Netflix's Windfall Trailer Teases Hitchcockian Home Invasion Thrills from the Writer of Se7en". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  3. ↑ Chelsea (March 22, 2022). "Where Was Windfall Filmed? Filming Locations Explained". Screen Rant. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  4. ↑ Kroll, Justin (July 12, 2021). "Netflix Acquires Charlie McDowell's 'Windfall' Starring Jason Segel, Lily Collins And Jesse Plemons". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Windfall". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Windfall". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
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