Open Windows (2014) User Reviews (78)

Bonkers high-tech thriller that eventually overreaches itself

[leominosa · 6/10 · 29 August 2014]

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.

Techno-thriller with an original and ingeniously basic premise full of suspense and intrigue

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 4 April 2015]

Nacho Vigalondo's Open Windows opens on an extremely promising note plenty of twists , turns and surprises . This is a Techno-thriller that addresses questions of life , computers , fans and belief against a strange antagonist . A jilted fan called Nick Chambers (Elijah Wood) soon finds himself pulled into a twisted chase after he accepts the opportunity to spy on his favorite player called Jill Goddard (Sasha Grey) via his laptop . As it takes place on a variety of screens and locations using different types of footage .

This Spanish/US co-production succeeds because of the thriller , tension , Kafkaesque suspense , as well as an interestingly written script concerning a complex intrigue in which our protagonists are in such extreme situation and their subsequent instinctive urges for survival . This laptop-set thriller deals with a deadly game of cat-and-mouse in which video cameras capture everything , and the internet has turned into a cesspool of surveillance that's hundred times more horrifying than Leatherface's dugout . We immediately see that the story is going to be told from some unorthodox perspectives as each scene is broadcast through a window on a computer monitor . Despite its average budget the picture manages to be intelligent , intriguing and thrilling but also a little bit boring and hard to follow . The good thing about this film is that the director made it on a limited budget only having to do a few sets , yet the movie works on many levels but is constantly reconfigured . Looking for a monologue from Elijah Wood you'll get it in the form of a confessional style Webcam appearance . There is here in separate windows featuring a Webcam feed , even the action sequences are showcased in this format . In spite of being technically a "Techno thriller", the film nods at everything from a technological world to Hitchcock to Giallo . The final result is an offbeat thriller that's captivating , in spite of not being all that fun or especially thoughtful , neither thought-provoking .

The motion picture was original and innovately directed by Nacho Vigalondo . Here Nacho adapts to the times and find thriller/action/mystery in the ways people are living today . Filmmaker Vigalondo manages to not seem completely daft and he is attacking our vulnerability online by setting his Techno film entirely unsettling . This picture relatively cheap was tautly written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo in his third movie , his first was the international hit titled ¨Time crimes¨ with Karra Errejalde , Barbara Goenaga and going on ¨Extraterrestrial¨ with Michelle Jenner and Julián Villagrán , both of them showing up in ¨Open Windows¨ as guest stars . Nacho , who usually turns up in his movies at brief appearing , is a good young filmmaker , a little prolific director because being usually writer for television and shorts filmmaker , he has only realized three films . ¨Open windows¨ is without a doubt a weird , mysterious film to be liked for thriller and suspense fans , turning out to be one of the most original Spanish movies of the last years . Rating : 6 . Acceptable and passable .

High Tech Voyeurism can be deadly

[praveer-mishra · 5/10 · 5 May 2014]

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.

God bless Nacho Vigalondo

[basil1984 · 9 April 2014]

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.

Just sat through this at London's Frightfest

[Scream_Meister · 1/10 · 24 August 2014]

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!

A creepy, terrific 70-minute movie that goes on for 100 minutes.

[cherold · 7/10 · 16 July 2019]

For most of its short running time, Open Windows is riveting. It involves a nebbishy guy who runs a website creepily devoted to an actress who finds himself pulled, step by step, into and insane and disastrous crime.

The movie begins on Nick's (Elijah Wood) laptop. He is messaged then given intrusive software that allows him to spy on the actress. As the movie progresses he gets in deeper and deeper; he is complicit for taking that first step but then is simply caught.

The film is cleverly shot entirely through screens open on the laptop. I'm not sure how this would work in the movie theater but it works great on TV.

The movie was written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo, who specializes in elaborate twists, but after digging himself in deep in the first hour he can't find an elegant way to dig himself out again, and the last part of the movie is a long, convoluted mess that is like he was trying to get every twist ending he could think of in one movie.

I loved most of this movie, and would have rated it a 9 if it had all been as good as that first 70 minutes, but the last part is maybe a 5 or 6.

A final note: this would make a great video game. There's a fairly obscure adventure video game called The Experiment that involves doing everything through security cameras, and I would love to see something similar done with this.

Anyway, if you're a fan of Nacho, check it out. For all its issues it's pretty entertaining overall.

Nice opening but it falls sinking down after some minutes

[Seraphion · 4/10 · 9 October 2014]

Winning an online contest with the prize of dinner with his favorite actress Jill, Nick prepares himself in his hotel room. A man naming himself Chord informs him that Jill cancels the dinner for no reason and sends him hacked live streams on Jill, saying that this would compensate him. Coincidentally Jill is meeting her secret lover Tony at Nick's hotel, so Chord hacks Nick's camera to view their room. When Tony gets suspicious and heads to Nick's room, Chord guides Nick to knock Tom out and get out of the hotel. A French hacker team Triops contacts Nick, thinking he is the notorious hacker Nevada. Confused, Nick ignores them. Chord starts to threaten Nick that he'll hurt Jill if Nick doesn't do what he says. Chord has the unconscious Tony tied as hostage to force Jill to strip, using Nick to relay his commands.

When Triops contacts again revealing their faces, Nick asks them to peek into his laptop and they cut the connection from Chord to Nick. Chord storms in and kidnaps Jill. Nick and Triops searches for Chord and find that Chord is actually Nevada, whom Triops were to help. They get back helping Nick after he threatens to spread their faces to the police. They lead Nick to follow Chord's car which later gets into an accident, with Jill in the trunk. A video feed at Nevada's servers shows that Chord and Nevada are actually two different persons and that Chord tricked Nevada to get his servers and get revenge on Jill. Chord goes to Nick's car and kills him. He then stream a live feed on the tied up up Jill with a time bomb set in the room, which attracts millions of visitors. Chord says he'll stop the bomb if more than fifty percent of the viewers leave the site. The bomb explodes in time as only about ten percents do so.

Chord tells Jill he showed her how the world viewed her. Jill persuaded Chord to make a 'good ending' on it but uses her chance to escape. It is futile as Chord easily recaptures her and ties her again. But then Chord receives a call. It's actually Nevada, still alive and angry at him. Nevada showed that Nick is still alive, so Chord get out of his hideout to check Nick's car. Nevada reveals that he's changed his face to look like Nick, and uses a recording to lure Chord out while he frees Jill and set the place on fire as Chord goes back in. Chord dies in the fire as they walk away.

The story at first looked like it's going to be just another fanatic stalker movie. It then adds in the elements of hackers, blackmail and manipulation into the whole movie, which quite nicely colors it but didn't necessarily revive it from sinking dumbly after a few moments. There is so many illogical and unrealistic things about the technological aspects this movie is presenting, which is quite a joke considering that the hacker tech world is completely logical and realistic to approach. A video camera is hacked to be viewing x-ray and long range focused audio? How can a remote software hack increase the hardware technology like that is completely stupid.

The take on the cinematography using the camera angles on the video feeds and viewing it at the laptop screen is quite interesting at first sight. But it soon find obstacles in screen sizes, supposedly realistic resolution problems and the panning dilemma on the focus from one OS window to another. It kind of feels like the movie betrayed its own style when the plot goes outside any rooms and t gets less view on the multiple windows on screen but more focus on a single camera, even if it's still in a CCTV styled shot. Also, one major problem is the lighting. The movie doesn't have to be so dark lit.

The plot kind of drifts unclearer as the stretched story is abruptly re- thinned when the Triops team just suddenly disconnects with only saying sorry. The twists with separating Chord and Nevada is quite nice that it throws off the assumptions that audiences might form earlier as the Triops appears. But the end twist with Nevada is just plainly confusing, not to mention that it's literally stupid.

The acting is just a so-so overall. We do see Elijah Wood's effort in getting into character surrendering and being manipulated to do wrong on his favorite star. Sasha Grey is a weird call for me to judge, considering that she didn't have to act to be a star, and to shoot nude scenes; but her expressions still fall off the standards.

I say I kind of agree with those voices scoring this movie a 4 out of 10. A recommendation is a definite no. If only the story has itself a more solid bridging between the decent opening and the later stages, I think the movie could be better.

Surprisingly Good

[chrismackey1972 · 7/10 · 2 October 2014]

Fun movie. The poster did nothing to make me interested in it. I thought it would suck, but it didn't. It's about a man (Elijah Wood) who's a webmaster of an actress' fan site. He's lured into believing that he won a dinner with the actress (Sasha Grey). However, he finds out that was not quite true. Almost immediately, someone contacts him via his laptop and informs him that the actress herself cancelled the meeting because she's very much of a diva. He plots with Elijah, trying to get him to get even with the actress. Grudgingly, Elijah does so. Needless to say, the character Elijah plays seems to not have much of a brain in his head, however, it comes out later why he played along with the voice in the computer. Someone compared this to Rear Window, which I can understand, because it has some of the same tools at work.

I thought the acting was very good. Elijah Wood is always good, even though his movies post-The Lord of the Rings haven't been much to brag about. Sasha Grey actually is a pretty good actress. If you can put aside the fact that she was a very popular porn star and just appreciate her for now trying to be mainstream, you'll enjoy the movie. I know some just can't forgive her for the porn career. To them, I say get over it. If you're looking for an actress who's a saint, you won't watch any movies ever again.

I gave this a 7-star rating because it was surprisingly good. Really though, they should change the poster. It's not very good. The storyline was pretty original, I thought. Again, the acting was good. However, the end with the badguy who captured Jill was a bit silly. Still, all-in-all, it was MUCH more entertaining than I thought it would be. I recommend. I might re-evaluate my 7-star rating at a later date, but it was fun.

An exercise in form and style that has mixed results

[brchthethird · 5/10 · 6 October 2014]

OPEN WINDOWS is a high-concept thriller that works better as an exercise in form and style than as a movie. Directed by Nacho Vigalondo, and starring Elijah Wood and Sasha Grey, the story is about a guy named Nick Chambers (Wood) who wins a date with actress Jill Goddard (Grey) through an online contest. After finding out the date has been canceled, a mysterious stranger named Chord (who claims to be affiliated with Jill) allows Nick to watch her secretly from his laptop, and things start to get crazy from there.

When I first started watching this, I was reminded of a couple of films that Elijah Wood did before this one: MANIAC and GRAND PIANO. I thought of MANIAC because every shot in this movie is from the first person point of view, and of GRAND PIANO because his character is constantly being given instructions by a mostly unseen third party. What I thought this film did effectively was integrate technology in an interesting way, and the way the story was presented was at least creative. It takes a while to get used to, but once you accept the concept then it's easier to get into the film. It's actually not too bad of a film either, for the first two-thirds of it. You have this rather timid individual who is given the opportunity to spy on someone he admires through the miracle of modern technology, and when things start to go wrong the film is able to maintain a good level of tension. Nothing in this film is predictable, and that is probably the highest praise I can give it. Still, despite the modern trappings it is rather silly and convoluted. I won't give away any twists, but it takes a turn about two-thirds of the way through that kind of ruined the experience for me.

As far as the acting is concerned, nobody really gave a bad performance, but nobody was spectacular either, including Elijah Wood who seemed to be doing another variation on the type of character he's played in his last couple of films. Sasha Grey wasn't too bad, but I wasn't expecting too much from somebody who came out of porn. Overall, I thought that the story, as implausible as it was, started out pretty good but then derails in the final act. There were some good observations on obsession with celebrities and the terrifying possibilities of modern technology, but it is mostly lost in a standard thriller. It's being billed as a 21st century REAR WINDOW, but most people would probably be better off watching that instead.

A pretentious dumpster fire of a movie

[donovandesign · 7/10 · 23 November 2019]

I hate writing bad reviews. I really do. Bad reviews aren't helpful and only serve to make well-meaning artists feel bad about their work. They worked hard on their piece. Submitted for your approval. "Open Windows" Overly complicated. Overacted. Overly stupid and in some choice "nuggets" of scenes, I found myself cringing from embarassement- you know the feeling, like when your chin gets pulled down to your neck and your face turns red? And yet I *still* gave it 7 stars. Why? It was weird fun and I stuck with it to see what happened next. There certainly are worse films for sure, but not too many "Golden Turkeys" like this one.

Dumb Movie

[arfdawg-1 · 3/10 · 3 October 2014]

The Plot

An actress named Jill refuses to have dinner with Nick, a fan who won a date with her in an Internet contest.

In return, a guy named Chord, posing as Jill's campaign manager, helps Nick to follow in the footsteps of the actress from his own computer.

Nick starts a game in which he realizes that is only a puppet into the maniac plans devised by Chord, to hunt down the star.

Sort of a tech movie written by some one who knows nothing about technology.

It's really dumb, even though parts of it are watchable despite being completely unbelievable. And that's really the problem with the movie. It's a bit like Rear Window without the believability.

Under-appreciated

[murfit · 8/10 · 9 December 2014]

I really don't see how this movie deserves so many bad reviews. At the very least, it is interesting formally and esthetically. It gives a whole new meaning to the classic drama concept of unity of time and space: About 80% of the action takes place within the confines of a laptop computer screen, and the rest is confined to other screens; most of it takes place within a few hours, and the rest is introduced via video playback.

The production design, which in this case is actually UI design, is beautiful. The acting is nothing special but adequate. The thriller aspect has its interesting twists and turns, but that's not really the point. I do not believe the social commentary should be taken too seriously either. The point of the movie is providing a reflection of how media construct the world, and today's media are digital and delivered via the internet. If you don't just like to be taken on a ride, but if you appreciate if it's done in a smart way, give this one a chance.

Oh, and of course: God bless Sasha Grey!

Complex and demanding attention

[gregsrants · 7/10 · 21 October 2014]

Our little Frodo is becoming quite the horror icon. Actor Elijah Wood might always be first associated with his role as the hobbit in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, but his dabbles in the horror genre should not be overlooked. After playing a serial killer in 2012's Maniac remake, Wood has also lent his talents to the thriller Grand Piano, the indie horror Cooties and presently as lead in Nacho Vigalondo's Open Windows.

Spanish director Vigalondo is best known for his brilliant Timecrimes (2007) and it has been 6 (too) long years since his last feature. With Open Windows, Vigalondo casts Elijah Wood as Nick Chambers who wins a contest to have dinner with his favorite celebrity, Jill Goddard (Sasha Grey). But when Jill seemingly cancels the date, a mysterious man by the name of Chord (Neil Maskell) contacts Nick and offers promises and ideas on how Nick salvage his trip to Austin and get close to his idol. Nick is too naïve to realize he is being used as a pawn in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game that is seen entirely through technology devices such as computers and camera screens. Nick follows Chord's orders and questions motives in necessary situations. But when Nick gets involved so deep that walking away from Chord's demands would lead to incarceration or worse, Nick has to devise his own plan to save both himself and Jill from the villains maniacal plans.

Open Windows is a complex thriller that demands your attention from start to finish. Answers to questions posed by the enigma of a plot are not spoon fed to the audience and those that go to movies to see talking transformer cars wreak havoc on our cities will be challenged to keep up with the overlapping story developments on display in Open Windows.

With the entire movie having been presented through the eyes of camera lenses and computer screens, Open Windows offers as unique a filmmaking experience you can find this year. With multiple windows opened on a screen there are plenty of things to watch and catch as things unfold and we can't imagine the complexity of post-production putting the pieces together.

Elijah Wood continues to show his versatility and although Sasha Grey does nothing to convince us that she is the next Meryl Streep she isn't a distraction either. Some of the other voice overs are less convincing in their conveyance of stress or urgency but again, the plot is thick enough that hanging on such trivial sidebars is a futile adventure.

Open Windows ends up being a two-viewing necessity. You might not understand everything or follow all plot points on the first go. But upon a repeat viewing, I am sure that Open Windows will serve itself as an adult and taut thriller that zig zags in unexpected directions until the curtains close.

www.killerreviews.com

Over complicated! 4/10

[leonblackwood · 4/10 · 16 May 2015]

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

It's like a student film. The lame kind.

[rprince-832-6294 · 3/10 · 4 November 2014]

-Open Windows, which opens this weekend in limited release I believe, follows a website designer who gets dragged along on a string of escalading events by a hacker and thief. It is a little more complicated than that, but I don't care about it enough to explain it.

-So Open Windows feels like a student film, but not the good kind. Because it was really lame. Its story was unreal and cheesy, with some forced plot twists and an ending that was dumb and didn't make ANY sense. Still a better ending that The Maze Runner.

-It's tone, well it doesn't really have a set tone. I wasn't sure if I should be nervous or anxious or excited or laughing.

-It's acting is very on-par with short films. Even Elijah Wood isn't good in it, and you can tell he doesn't really care. Everyone else is pretty lame.

-I will give it one thing, a lot of it looked like a continuous shot and it had a good pace because of it. But at the same time, it felt very cluttered, and like it just didn't know where it wanted to go.

-It's effects were not terrible. But nothing in it looked good or believable.

-Content: There is no listed rating, but it is not unrated, so I didn't know what to expect. Apparently it has a few F-words and some partial nudity. So R. That's all you had to say IMDb. R.

-Overall Open Windows was very below the standard of acceptable films. It was not good, but not quit so bad it's good. So I will easily say that Open Windows is not worth seeing. Ever. 3/10. Which for those of you keeping track, is even below Transformers 4.

Sasha Grey, reason enough to watch this

[Bored_Dragon · 7/10 · 21 November 2016]

Good idea, but a lousy realization. All in all, likable hacker thriller that kept me at the edge of my seat from time to time, but disappointed me with its excessive finale. Nothing in this movie is excellent, but everything is satisfying. I did not predict any of the twists and, for me, it was pretty much entertaining. The highlight of the movie is the scene with the lead female character getting naked in front of a camera. I have no idea how they persuaded her to lose her clothes, but after so many years of eager anticipation, finally we have a chance, for the first time in a movie, to see Sasha Grey naked.

7/10

P.S. OK, for the first time in a mainstream movie. :D <3

Poorly written and never recovers from this

[jtindahouse · 3/10 · 29 June 2015]

'Open Windows' was not a bad concept. The 'found footage' genre is still alive and kicking (despite what some may say) and little innovations like this are most welcome. But when the script you're doing it with is as poor as this one was, you're doomed before filming even starts. The dialogue is unbearably bad, the plot is far too convoluted for its own good and not one character has an iota of likability about them. Not a good recipe for a successful film.

There was potential here somewhere. The plot actually had something going for it I'm pretty sure but the execution simply wasn't there. I hadn't even realised it until just now (I didn't even know he was behind 'Open Windows') but I was actually criticising writer/director Nacho Vigalondo for the exact same thing the other day for his segment 'Parallel Monsters' in 'V/H/S: Viral' - a whole lot of potential with no execution. The man obviously has a creative brain but is lacking the filmmaking skills. A real shame.

The acting was pretty feeble. Elijah Wood is incredibly flat and makes the already cringe-worthy dialogue even worse. Pornographic actress Sasha Grey would probably have to be called the stand out performer in this. Don't get me wrong she was nothing great, the rest of the cast was just that bad. She held her own though and I'll be interested to see what she comes out with next. Altogether the film is a complete misfire. The amount of plot holes will give you a headache and for that matter so will every other aspect of the film. Give it a miss.

Verdict: Thinking Outside the Box

[MoviesReviews101 · 7/10 · 8 November 2014]

Story: In a world where having the right technology can help hack into everything we follow a young man get tricked into helping a mad man kidnap an actress. This all gets put together using just webcams and security cams, with most of the story unfolding on our hero's laptop within plenty of different pop-up windows. Granted the story can come off very easy to follow it does throw out a few different twists as the story continues. The twists do take away what has been built up but it also shows how far people will go for a moment of madness. It is brave doing a film without using conventional camera and as I am always a fan of something different I will praise that. In the end the thriller shows what stalkers will do and how defenceless the celebrity can be. (7/10) Actor Review Sasha Grey: Jill Goddard actress who has been having second thoughts about her career after making another sequel. She gets kidnapped by the guy pulling the strings. Sasha does a good job as the celebrity who gets caught in the middle of a stalkers game. (7/10) Elijah Wood: Nick Chambers young blogger who wants to have an interview with his favourite actress. He ends up getting used as a puppet in a stalkers game. He races against time to try and save her before it is too late. Good performance from Elijah who again shows he is willingly to take a chance on a role. (8/10) Neil Maskell: Chord voice on the phone who puts Nick through a string a tasks to help him get close to his favourite actress, but he has a different agenda with the actress. Good performance as we always want to know what he will do next. (7/10) Supporting Cast: The support cast is mainly another group of hackers, who help Nick believing he is an internationally renowned hacker. (7/10) Director Review: Nacho Vigalondo – Brave direction using alternative camera work to turn a thriller into real time thriller on web cams. (8/10) Action: most of the action is car chases, these are all shot using the multi camera system on the laptop too. (7/10) Thriller: you do get pulled in to care about what happens to the actress and young man as they try to figure out what is going on and try to escape. (9/10) Settings: The settings are used to create an atmosphere we are unsure off the locations of certain people but we do get left wonder when they will end up. (8/10) Suggestion: This should be tried it might not be everyone's cup of tea but you may enjoy this. (Try It) Best Part: Brave Ideas Worst Part: A lot of people will get turned off with Sasha Grey casting. Believability: With the abilities people have to hack this could be a very real outcome before the extra twists. (5/10) Chances of Tears: No (0/10) Chances of Sequel: Unlikely Post Credits Scene: No Oscar Chances: No Runtime: 1 Hour 40 Minutes Trivia: This is the first movie not using conventional cameras, but web- cams from some computers, which screens open and close along the movie. Overall: Interesting Look at Stalkers

"Rear Window" with Nudity, Question Mark

[TopherAllen1112 · 4/10 · 13 March 2014]

*I tried to leave out any major story spoilers* It's day 6 now of the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas. I went to check out "Open Windows," starring porn star Sasha Grey, at the Alamo Drafthouse on 6th Street downtown. I introduce her as "porn star" because her career as an actress has not really taken off, even after a title role in "The Girlfriend Experience" from Steven Soderberg, one of the greatest movie directors of all time. She was also in many episodes of "Entourage" on HBO. I've been kind of rooting for her since we don't hear many stories of porn stars becoming successful movie stars. They...can't be taken seriously. "The Girlfriend Experience" proved that wrong. Entourage played with the idea. Now, after hearing the premise, I was expecting Ms. Grey to be embracing her career in porn and actually let us watch her through "Open Windows" get naked in theaters.

The film...did...not...deliver.

What we do get is a world of technology. Almost futuristic, the film is shown through multiple webcams and security cameras. The villain has all of these at his disposal as well as the entire internet (apparently). Whatever statement the director was trying to make, I felt was lost. The third act really lost me. It's not even worth explaining. As for the rest of it, basically, we have an actress who sucks (Sasha plays an actress who's supposed to be popular), and her number one fan has a website and is set to meet her. The villain set this up to capture her and blame him for it. There are too many twists that the director couldn't even keep up with, and there were some applaud-worthy moments that were ruined by the way the film was made. It plays like a found-footage film, but we're watching it on a computer. The entire thing is real-time so it feels like it's all done in one take.

What it SHOULD have been... Was a "Rear Window" homage. That's what I was expecting based on an article in the Austin Chronicle that actually mentioned "Rear Window" as if "Open Windows" was going to pay respects to Hitchcock. Instead, "windows" here aren't the ones we look through to engage in voyeurism like a pervert at our favorite porn star. They're the ones we look at on a computer screen! Elijah Wood (oh yeah, he was in it) shouldn't have been forced to leave his hotel room, as if the director wanted us to leave our comfort zone so early, even though a car chase erupts when he chases down the bad guy. This was actually the best scene in the film, and with a low camera angle through much of it from inside the car (via webcam on laptop in passenger seat that is somehow not sliding around everywhere). That should have been the climax, because it was actually mildly gripping until it kept going, slowing down the whole pace of the film. The narrative goes crazy with twists, too. Like, too many. They didn't make sense, either. The director admitted to this in a Q&A after the show. Audience members were asked for questions, yet unwilling to participate until the director just plain asked if anyone hated it so much that they wanted to slap him. True story.

This is an opportunity we should have for more directors, actually.

However, this guy was SO nice, I just felt bad for him. When a shot of Maker's Mark was offered, someone took the opportunity. He slapped the director on the stage. He knew his movie wasn't good. Someone did actually ask if there was any commentary about being a celebrity or our current technology. He said that we're all okay with living lives that should be private and aren't. This answer was unrelated to the film. I wish Sasha would have showed up at the screening. Sasha Grey was basically playing herself, in the movie, an actress even. Except, one the world has never seen naked.

That's a joke, right?

This flick will not help her serious movie career.

Mess

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 9 November 2014]

If you've seen "Timecrimes", a movie previously made by the same director (he did another one in between that and this one, which I haven't watched yet), you'd be excused by thinking that this is a mess. Looking at it and especially towards the end, the movie goes off the rails. It loses all sense and logic. Where "Timecrimes" makes sense in every aspect (although it's highly complex), this is far from it.

But, you can still have fun with this movie. A lot of fun actually, especially considering the nature and the way this is shot (found footage light/like). You might get sucked into the struggle of our main actor, who's seemingly trying his best to move forward and get through. This might be great a great role for Elijah Wood (and even for Sasha Grey, who's still trying to find her place away from the adult career she had), but it won't be for every viewer ... consider the plot, how the movie is made/shown (found footage over a web cam, but with several other cameras outside shown in those ... windows) and decide for yourself ...

Way to over the place for me..

[bethsgem-13693 · 5/10 · 16 May 2022]

I read the reviews, took a chance, lots of action for sure just not a very realistic story line. Nothing wrong with acting, it is quiet good. It just was a bit nutty for me. And unrealistic..but it is a movie. 5/10 at best.

Excellent technological suspense thriller. Ignore bad reviews

[keepitgoan · 10/10 · 30 November 2014]

This movie was a thrill ride from beginning to end. All the actors did well, the graphics and direction was amazing, and the story unfolded nicely with some great twists. Anyone saying the plot was 'messy' or 'convoluted' obviously didn't pay much attention:/ It's extremely easy to follow and doesn't take us too far from reality (it's a movie anyways). Characters make good decisions for the most part, and overall a great watch if you like the scifi/hacker/thriller/suspense/mystery genre... which don't we all?

Once again disregard the haters and give this innovative and uncharted gem a watch 10/10 to balance out the cynics, and let fairly happy movie watchers know it's worth it.

Intuitive But Convoluted

[Callum_Hofler · 6/10 · 17 October 2014]

Whilst the social commentary on our obsession with celebrities, alongside a reasonably intuitive and inspiring concept threaten to produce a relatively good product, Open Windows underwhelms in its final, climatic act, convoluting a number of well designed subplots, as well as the protagonist and antagonist's intentions and motives. Ever yet, it is a visually stimulating film, providing fantastic cinematography for a genre (that of found footage) which is so often entirely lacking in energy or originality. The story in general is also one of suspense, leaving the viewer consistently on the edge of their seat.

The performances and writing, though, are the two elements that reign in the opportunity for a purely entertaining suspense film. Whilst performances from Elijah Wood and (surprisingly) Sasha Grey are genuinely impressive, Adam Quintero and Neil Maskell give less rounded portrayals of their character, adding a flavour of melodrama to the movie. But it's the writing that truly undoes the film in the final, pivotal act; whereas much of the film is relatively easy to follow, the film's final portion drops far too many new developments on our head in a short span of time, and the final plot twist is utterly poor.

However entertaining and well edited, Open Windows still falls down due to rookie errors in relation to acting, pacing and writing. Nevertheless, it's certainly worth a watch; whether to examine Grey's first major cinematic release since her retirement from the pornographic industry, or to examine a suspense film which is willing to embark upon untouched ground, whether visually or story-wise.

5.4/10

This was a brief summary of my thoughts. For more in-depth reviews on films and scores, check out my website: www.entjunkie.blogspot.com

extremely bad worse than watching paint dry

[Eddie_weinbauer · 1/10 · 26 November 2014]

You know those movies,that keep you at the edge of your seat and your afraid to blink,cause you just night miss out on something? This is not one of those movies.

This is one of those movies that makes you wanna claw your eyes out after 10min. after 30 you wonder why you still watching,after 45 your about ready to slice your jugular,just to end this. The story is stupid, and you don't really care for any of the characters. Worst of all the script seem to be a poor excuse to see Sasha Grey naked,but it shows just how over rated and bad actor Elijah wood is

What kind of idiot, accept a bunch of random links from a voice on the internet? I've seen porn with better script than this.But the lines are almost juts a cheesy

Sasha may have talent,but she don't get to show it in this movie

Nonsensical mess of a movie

[ArchonCinemaReviews · 1/10 · 10 October 2014]

Some movies are poorly reviewed for the acting or worn out story lines. Open Windows suffers neither of these maladies and is just a plain ol' bad movie.

Open Windows is about a super-fan Nick who gets ditched by the subject of his affection, actress Jill, who then gets manipulated into harassing said actress by a faceless technophile Chord.

I was curious and intrigued by the plot set out by the trailer. I thought it was a novel approach to the stalker narrative with a technological thriller twist. It seemed like it would be modern and edgy.

Nacho Vigalondo manages to maul a moderately fresh concept with a mind numbingly ill-conceived and bewilderingly illogical storyline. It took all my effort not to walk out of the movie after twenty minutes and by minute 100 I wanted to throw my popcorn at the screen because Open Windows turned out to be so painfully terrible.

The first eighty minutes involve Elijah Woods with some pathetic naive doe eyed expression on his face as Nick, mindlessly following this voice's commands like a buffoon. A true admirer of a celebrity would not agree to that level of betrayal unless a severely hurtful and egregious act occurred to the fan by the object of his affection. Sasha Grey does an adequate job as a scowling actress and was more effective in scenes where she is being controlled by the internet hackers.

Everything about the plot is just 'facepalm' level foolish. Spoiler: Open Windows ends up being one of those films with a twist ending. Vigalondo apparently is not aware that in order for a twist ending to be effective the rest of the movie needs to be intelligent and sensible. Most of all, all actions by characters should be moderately plausible. There is not a shred of evidence that any of this exists in the movie. Nacho Vigalondo must have been aware of this on some level because halfway through the movie the audience is subjected to a secondary plot about some hacker terrorist named Nevada out of nowhere.

Nacho Vigalondo's Open Windows is a nonsensical mess of a movie that relies on over-stylized gimmicks to beguile audiences into ignoring that no convincing plot exists. It is unnecessarily elaborate and preposterous in plausibility and most of all a complete waste of time.

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