Open Windows opens its VOD window on Oct 2.
It’s really hard to tell stories in new ways in film, but I think Open Windows which opens this week is a peek into what the evolution of telling these stories will eventually look like. The techno-thriller by Nacho Vigalondo uses our hyper aware internet ADD way of digesting information to tell a story that somehow couldn’t have landed at a better time, as the media debate over celebrity privacy is currently at the forefront of the popular consciousness.
The film is the story of Nick Chambers (Elijah Wood), blogger and superfan of actress Jill Goddard (Sasha Grey). Nick is in Austin, Texas to meet and have dinner with his favorite actress after winning a contest for Jill’s new film Dark Skies. Jill, however, is currently struggling with the idea of celebrity, with her production company using rumors of a nonexistent sex tape to help build a media buzz around the film. While waiting for dinner with Jill, Nick is contacted by Chord, the webmaster of the Dark Skies website to let him know that Jill has cancelled their dinner date, which throws into motion the intricate clockwork which is the plot of Open Windows.
As a consolation prize Chord takes Nick on a journey invading the actress’s privacy in an excellent deconstruction of celebrity and the public’s perceived sense of entitlement to these people we see in film and on TV. We quickly find out Chord may not be who we thought he was, as Nick is duped into kidnapping Jill’s manager, to be used against the actress to get her to expose herself on webcam. By the time Nick figures out he is in over his head with Chord, it’s too late as he ends up at his mercy as both are pawns in the hacker’s endgame.
Like Maniac before it, Open Windows’ narrative is told through unconventional means: webcams, cell phones and security cams weave together an interesting look both film-wise and also in a meta-deconstruction of our privacy or lack there of. The film primarily takes place on the screen of Nick’s computer as windows open and close to carry the story forward. With each window, a new piece of the puzzle is dropped into place and we get closer and closer to just what Chord has in store for the pair. Vigalondo walks a fine line of keeping the audience informed, while being careful not to feel too much we are simply being fed exposition through this.
Elijah Wood once again proves that while his projects may have gotten smaller in scale since Lord of the Rings, they keep getting smarter and consistently more thought provoking. Nick is a character that every geek can relate to and he does a great job at not only filling the role, but adding more depth and making the blogger fanboy a bit less cliché than we have seen so far in films. Sasha Grey is kind of herself, which isn’t a bad thing, I mean she’s Sasha Grey. While she really doesn’t stretch very far acting-wise, that is probably a good thing since when she does go out of her boundaries her performance tends to seem a bit forced.
Open Windows is compelling in a the most voyeuristic way possible as we see Chord’s exploitation of Jill through Nick’s eyes, which given recent events seems eerily ripped straight from the headlines. I found the Vigalondo’s final statement on celebrity once Chord gets to the point, while a bit on the nose to be especially pertinent today as well. Open Windows once again proves Nacho Vigalondo is one of the more progressive and interesting voices in indie cinema with a labyrinth-like narrative that may be one of the best films you see all year.
