Oscar-nominated writer – director Nacho Vigalondo (The ABCs of Death, Timecrimes, V/H/S Viral) creates an action-packed world of voyeurism and suspense in his thriller Open Windows.
When Nick (Elijah Wood) discovers that he’s won a dinner date with his favorite star Jill Goddard (Sasha Grey), he’s incredibly excited to finally get the chance to meet her. That excitement deflates when Jill refuses to honor the contest and all of Nick’s hopes are dashed. He’s intrigued when Chord (Neil Maskell), a man claiming to be Jill’s campaign manager, offers him something he can’t quite refuse: Chord will give Nick the ability to constantly view Jill via computer. Nick is initially reluctant but Chord persuades him by saying that he should get at least some entertainment out of the actress. However, Nick is unaware that this decision will put himself and Jill at risk.
Open Windows is a Spanish thriller film directed and written by Nacho Vigalondo. The film had its world premiere on March 10, 2014 at South by Southwest, and stars Elijah Wood, Sasha Grey and Neil Maskell. The film is Vigalondo’s first film in the English language.
About the Story
Nick Chambers wins a contest to meet his favorite actress, Jill Goddard. Nick, the webmaster of a fansite dedicated to Jill, is crushed when Chord, Jill’s manager, informs him that she has not only failed to invite him to the film’s publicity but also canceled the contest. Chord remotely sends Nick a link to his laptop that opens a live stream. Chord explains that he has hacked into Jill’s cell phone and activated the microphone and camera without her knowledge. Although uneasy about invading her privacy, Nick goes along with Chord’s plans to spy on her. By eavesdropping on her phone conversations, they learn that she will secretly meet her agent, Tony, with whom she is having an affair, at the same hotel in which Nick is staying.
Chord directs Nick to use preexisting high end surveillance equipment to spy on Jill and Tony. As he watches them, Nick is briefly contacted by a trio of hackers who address him as Nevada. Jill leaves Tony’s room. When Nick’s lights spontaneously turn on and Tony can see the camera pointed at his room, Nick panics as Tony leaves his room to investigate. Chord orders Nick to use a Taser to incapacitate Tony. Feeling that he has no choice, Nick agrees. Nick initially refuses to tie up Tony but does so once Chord threatens to stop helping him. Suspicious of why all this equipment is available in his hotel room, Nick questions who Chord really is; Chord ignores him and guides him out of the hotel by hacking into its security system.
Chord blackmails Nick into further compliance by revealing that the entire contest was a hoax, and Chord now has video proof of Nick’s crimes. Chord forces Nick to follow Jill to her house, and he is contacted once again by the trio of hackers, who believe Nick to be a famous hacker. They offer to help him in his latest hack, and Nick recruits them to counteract Chord. Meanwhile, Chord hacks into Jill’s PC when she goes home. When Nick refuses to send her PC a file, Chord demonstrates that he is capable of sneaking into Jill’s house and killing her.
The file turns out to be a live feed of Tony’s torture by electric current. Horrified, Nick attempts to bargain with Chord for Tony’s release, but Chord only tortures Tony further. Chord forces Nick to give commands to Jill through her PC, and Nick demands that she reveal her naked breasts. Satisfied with the resulting video, Chord breaks the connection. Nick frantically attempts to warn Jill, but she is kidnapped by Chord. With the help of the hackers, Nick pursues Chord. However, once they realize that Chord is apparently the master hacker Nevada, their loyalties are torn. Although they continue to help him, they warn Nick that Nevada is the best in the world and a veteran of numerous anarchist operations, though none have resulted in physical harm to anyone.
Open Windows
Directed by: Nacho Vigalondo
Starring: Elijah Wood, Sasha Grey, Neill Maskell, Ivan Gonzalez, Rachel Arieff, Mike McCutchen
Screenplay by: Nacho Vigalondo
Production Design: Javier Alvariño, Soledad Sesena
Cinematography by: Jon D. Domínguez
Film Editing by: Bernat Vilaplana
Costume Design by: Cristina Sopeña
Studio: Antena 3 Films, Wild Bunch
Release Date: November 7, 2014
Visits: 79
