Open Window (2006) User Reviews

Edgerton & Tunney make this dark subject matter compelling for all adult audiences

[SeriousJest · 6/10 · 7 April 2012]

This film's audio/visual quality gives it the cheapy feel of a Lifetime movie, and I guess it's fair to say that the movie's target audience is women, but the man's side is definitely explored, and Edgerton and Tunney give compelling enough performances to hold any adult viewer's attention for an hour and a half...I say adult viewers, because this film is pretty dark. The subject matter is not one that I would normally seek out, but I was captivated anyway. By the way, Tunney is definitely a "girlfriend experience" actress...that's twice now I've fallen in love with her. And on a final note, I was surprised at how forced and awkward Shepherd's performance seemed...I had fond memories of her as an actress before this.

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A good movie but needs some work on continuity

[toddc1961 · 7/10 · 24 January 2006]

Very enjoyable movie but would have like to seen a little more continuity in the plot and sub-plots. Cybill Shepherd's character was funny and provided some comic relief to a fairly serious subject matter. Didn't understand the significance of the bird on the window ledge. Robin Tunney (Izzy) didn't convince me of her true feelings at the end of the movie. Overall, I would go see this as an entertaining albeit serious relationship movie. I loved the actress that plays the psychiatrist (she was Bree Van De Camp's mother-in-law on Desperate Housewives). I discussed this movie with another person and we both agreed that a picture of the attacker in Izzy's camera would have been a good thing as well as a large portrait of him at her show.

A great subtle idea about a relationship facing trauma gets cheapened by movie sensationalism

[secondtake · 6/10 · 30 January 2013]

Open Window (2006)

A terrible attempt at high drama, and a noble attempt to get to something difficult.

A young couple have just gotten engaged. The woman is then raped. This is shown briefly but the point is how they cope and adjust. Or not.

And I imagine it's harder than you'd think. There are all kinds of interpersonal issues on both sides. The woman has the direct trauma, the nightmares, the wondering about intimacy. The man faces this from outside, has growing and gnawing empathy, and also struggles with intimacy. Things might just then fall apart--you'll have to see.

In fact the two leads are rather good, Robin Tunney as a photographer's assistant and Joel Edgerton as the sincere fiancé. The girl's mom shows up in several scenes and I found her terrible--and was surprised it was Cybill Shepherd. It was partly her lines that were weak, or just a casting problem. The guy's dad shows up, too, and is decent but kind of expendable in terms of the main plot.

Besides a bunch of directing and writing decisions that water the movie down, it has one quality that ruins it--the rape itself. I was relieved that it wasn't really shown--only very briefly at first, and that was awful enough. I even commented to my girlfriend how happy I was not to have to sit through the shock of that kind of scene. Then the movie keeps reliving it in more and more detail for the rest of the movie. So you never escape it. And it gets increasingly gruesome. And psychologically weird, which I know is possible but the mental twists aren't supported by the writing or the rest of the characterization.

It's too bad, because the movie could have really focused on the relationship and their struggle to get past the horrible event. The move to sensationalizing it makes the whole move cheap and false.

Strangely lacks tension before it takes up

[OJT · 7/10 · 3 February 2013]

Many here thinks this is a great film, and only a couple of reviewers at giving in my opinion a correct picture of the film, since most is quite over-positive. But it's easy to fall off here for the first hour. For me the film first started growing after an hour. The story is more about guilt and communication.

Understand me correct. The film is really well acted, and the cast is good. And this is a film which is OK, but nothing more in a strange way. It's a solid independent film. The problem is - I don't know what should have been done otherwise. Maybe the direction is it. We understand early on that some small things, like opening a window is important, as it's also the title of the film.

The film is like a therapy session after a rape, and the consequences of it. And I'm not opposed to that, but somehow this is also a bit annoying. It's like what we've heard the consequences of a rape might be. What is troubling is the gathering of problems which follow. Sad problems, but is quite depression to see so much if it. Thankfully this changes towards the end.

Everything here is spot on, and I can't point out exactly what is wrong, because it is plausible everything that happens. Still I feel the film seem to be going into a bottomless pit, and somehow both the film and the players deserve more. Maybe it's a story like this which will have this kind of problem.

Somehow the film lacks a nerve for me in the first part. And I'd really like it to be different. Maybe it's me being in the wrong mood. But when the film starts getting interesting, when we're over the part we might guess what will happen. But with the last half our the film is getting to be more interesting for a common viewer. So stick in, even if you fall of after the half hour!

Not Profound, but better than most films

[mindcat · 5/10 · 24 December 2008]

This film I watched through just once. It tells the story of two young yuppies, who enter into life's vicissitudes, and how they begin to heal.

Neither character seems entirely genuine and some are a tad over done, maybe boarding on unlikable.

The essence is a young yuppie professional couple with far more money and privileges than most of us hit a snare when a random rapist, comes through Izzy's (Robin Turney) studio window and rapes her.

It is never quite revealed why she refuses DNA testing and actually does not cooperate with the police in finding the rapist.

Indeed, one could surmise, she has permitted the rapist yet another chance at rape of some other open windowed women. This makes thoughtful viewers wonder about her motives. Did she know the rapist? Was she simply a coward, feeling the rapist would make good on his threats and return to slay her if she told police the whole truth.

Instead, she proceeds as a Princess would, and rejects all suggestions of how to heal. She later moves out on her distanced fiancé, Joel Edgarton.

The meat of this drama is it attempts to be more profound than it actually is. It really is a brief window into the lives of a young couple, facing existential crisis.

The end scene is strange and again shows the egotism of both. Neither can go on because neither wants to make any concessions to the other, to catalyze the healing process.

The film actually isn't bad, just trivial.

A moving, honest, story told with great restraint and psychological insight seldom seen in contemporary American film.

[rkfried · 10/10 · 29 January 2006]

This very strong, subtle film reminds us of the fragility of our lives, as well as the the human capacity to heal. Izzy, played by the appealing Robin Tunney, doesn't ask us to like her at the outset of the movie, which of course makes her all the more sympathetic. Here's an actress with intelligence and a sexy edge. She seems like the young women we know: too smart to be doing her somewhat creative job, greatly gifted at looking great yet unwilling to get by merely on her obvious allure. It's rare to see one intelligent face in American movies these days, but by the time we encounter Tunney, we've already met the actor who plays her fiancé (name escapes me) and the brilliant Scott Wilson as the fiancé's father. The scenes between father and son are edited down to the bone, and they are powerful examples of how American fathers and sons do--and do not--communicate. We root for Izzy and her fiancé as every engaged couple's worst nightmare comes true: Izzy is raped. Brutally raped. All of the good luck, intelligence, and good taste with which these characters are blessed suddenly means nothing. They now will be taken more deeply into who they are--and what their relationship means--than they may have thought possible. Will their love endure? Could any love endure this hideous test? These are the questions posed unflinchingly by director/writer Mia Goldman. A look at the trades--Variety, etc--reveals that these are questions that fearful, philistine viewers wish to avoid. Fine with me: the multiplexes are filled with movies for adolescent tastes. This is a film for adults. Goldman brings her years of experience as an editor to the task of probing deeply and subtly at the same time. This moving and humane film deserves--and will doubtless find--a large audience. Highly recommended.

Write a book...

[mike_anderson81 · 1/10 · 31 January 2007]

If you're interested in studying the technique of shot/reverse shot in dialogue, check out this title; 90% of the film is dialogue between 2 people sitting and just talking.

The story has absolutely no direction. There is no motivation in any of the characters beyond just coping with an experience, there is no antagonism anywhere to be found except for internal antagonism. The plots are in no way related to each other and the "film" is filled with non-scenes that have absolutely no excuse for being in the film.

This film is so horrific it is not even funny. My advice to the director and screenwriter: Stay away from film. Film is obviously an alien art form to you. Write a book.

Emotionally honest with great performances

[thaliangirl · 9/10 · 14 August 2007]

This was an odd movie to find playing on Showtime - seems very at odds with most of their programming and I don't remember a theatrical release. It is a quiet and powerful piece about the effect that a brutal rape has on a young couple and their immediate family.

It seemed to be a very realistic portrayal of the aftermath of a rape and the performances by Robin Tunney and Joel Edgerton were exceptional. I read in one of the postings on the IMDb message board that it was based in part on a real experience in the director's life. That doesn't surprise me as this movie really seems to capture an emotional depth and honesty that is very hard to find in most movies nowadays. Very impressive.

This film is a gem

[brittneyb-2 · 9/10 · 21 August 2007]

I saw "Open Window" on Showtime and was so captivated by it that I had to see it again. It's really the first time I've seen a movie that shows that there is more than one victim when an act of violence happens to somebody else.

The relationship between Peter and Izzy is real and honest. How can a couple really grasp when something this devastating happens to them? "Open Window" shows this relationship unfold in a way that I haven't seen before.

Some would say that this film has too many scenes where there are two people talking, but it is so much more than that. The conversations between Peter and his father, Izzy and her therapist, etc. are the key to the films beauty. These small scenes let you into the characters so much.

I found the directing, acting and writing so subtle and yet so powerful.

Hopefully, word of mouth will give the film the recognition that it should have had a year ago when it was at Sundance.

Tough subject handled gracefully

[simpsonmama · 8/10 · 31 July 2007]

Just caught this movie on Showtime. It's a quiet, subtle film about a tough subject - rape - and the filmmakers handle it with grace and dignity. What's great about the movie is that it deals with the trauma from everyone's perspective - the fiancée, the mom, the dad, the friends - not just the primary victim's. Strong performances from Robin Tunney and Joel Edgerton throughout. I think there are a lot of women who would be interested in seeing this movie, but it would also appeal to men who have been in this situation as well, of which there are probably far too many. Highly recommend seeing this - I think it's airing on Showtime for another few weeks.

First film I know of exploring this delicate subject matter in depth.

[meljan-1 · 10/10 · 2 February 2006]

This film, for the first time I believe, explores the effects of a trauma which intrudes itself upon the apparently otherwise smooth and fulfilling relationships of the lead characters ), and the ripple effects of that trauma on their relationships with family and friends.

The trauma could be in many forms, not necessarily the one depicted here. Our lives, seemingly secure as they flow along, can be brutally interrupted by many events -- devastating and crippling accidents, unexpected and life-threatening illness, etc etc etc. Not only is devastation wreaked upon the subject, but tangentially upon all his/her relationships. This film makes us clearly aware of this fact.

Now, the healing and rehabilitation and recovery must hopefully and painfully take place. How far can one come back? How can one become better, stronger, than prior to the trauma? This film gently, patiently, helps us see that one need not remain a victim forever! One can overcome! Not easily, not without scars, but with dignity and self-pride.

A bonus is the music score. It is beautiful and supportive, yet never intrusive. It is in exquisite unity with the film and a joy to experience.

The Aftermath of Physical Invasion

[gradyharp · 8/10 · 25 April 2011]

Mia Goldman both wrote and directed this fine little film that deals with the butterfly effect of an event affecting a whole family. The subtlety of the film is enhanced by unforced, subtle performances by a solid cast and further enhanced by a quality of filming (cinematographer Dennis Maloney) that creates disturbing images without obsessing over them.

Photographer Izzy (Robin Tunney) is deeply in love with Peter (Joel Edgerton) whose lives are brutally assaulted when Izzy is raped. Unable to cope with the concept and in the midst of a healing phase, Izzy and Peter breakup, consoled by Izzy's mother Arlene (Cybil Shepherd) and father John (Elliott Gould). Once the incident that is the driver of this story is revealed and discussed, the ramifications are bitter. How Izzy and Peter survive the ordeal is beautifully and subtly written and acted. Cameo roles by Scott Wilson and Shirley Knight add depth to the story. This film has some very disturbing moments, but the subject of rape has always and will always be a disturbing topic. How writer/director Goldman handles this is one of the finest moments on film.

It is a pleasure to see Robin Tunney, best known now for her ongoing role on televisions 'The Mentalist', tackle a role so demanding and make us stay with her character all the way. Joel Edgerton is also exception in a tough role. In all, this is one of those unnoticed films that deserves a larger audience.

Grady Harp

So Interesting

[mm-309 · 10/10 · 15 August 2007]

I enjoyed this movie so much. There were great plot twists, and the way the characters lives were intertwining through out the film was entertaining to say the least. I thought the art direction was beautifully executed. I walked out of the theater a little exhausted....but in a good way...I felt like I had been taken on a short emotional ride. I like a movie that can shake all different emotions out of me, and this movie did include some comic relief. I especially liked the scene with Eliott Gould and Robin Terney at dinner, the lighting was beautiful, and the dialog was great...Thank you for this special treat...

Quiet, subtle film

[cameron365 · 8/10 · 14 August 2007]

This is a quiet, subtle movie that drives its point home without any bells and whistles but very effectively. I especially thought the scenes between Izzy and Peter were moving and well-acted. Even though the film deals with a tough subject, it never felt forced or shoved down my throat or overacted. The film has a very simple structure which allows the complexities of the issue and the emotions to expand and fill up the space. It's too bad this didn't get a theatrical release, although I could see why it was overlooked, because it is so quiet and subtle. That, I think, is its strength but of course a studio exec wants explosions. This movie does fine without them. Robin Tunney and Joel Edgerton's performances are wonderful.

A love affair pushed to the brink

[rickl123 · 8/10 · 15 August 2007]

I loved this movie. With a fine hand and an elegant restraint, Mia Goldman's inaugural feature is a beautifully crafted work. With a concise and well articulated story line, Ms. Goldman, who wrote and directed, has made an engaging movie that moved me in many unexpected ways. The story of a young couple, deeply in love, confronting an enormous challenge startled me. Disturbed me. Robin Tunney and Joel Edgerton play the romantic leads with elegance and passion. Their love affair drives the story and they do it well. TElliot Gould and Cybil Shepard, in unusually textured roles, perform beautifully. This smart, sophisticated Indie film is subtly driven. We're sucked into the emotional vortex almost from the beginning. Once there, it's an intense ride. It's not everybody's cup of tea. There are disturbing elements that I will not reveal. But if you hang in you will be deeply and profoundly rewarded. This is one of those sleeper films. A wonderfully rewarding debut.

well done!!

[bdunphy-2 · 9/10 · 19 September 2007]

This is a wonderful film. It is well crafted, beautifully written and sensitively shot. It deals with a topic that is difficult to view.

The treatment of this violent subject is amazingly soft and thoughtful. It brought me to tears in it's simplicity. And I think it is this delicate treatment that is the strength of the piece.

By carefully, tenderly working through the torment of the character and bringing her through to the other side we, as the audience are given a great gift--the gift of hope.

I understand why there is such a groundswell of support for this film. It is a testament to all who have been through any trauma.