Tamal Kundu
Directed by Charlie McDowell, ‘Windfall’ is a psychological thriller film. It never gives the real names of its protagonists, introducing them only as CEO/Husband (Jesse Plemons), Wife (Lily Collins), and Nobody (Jason Segel). The CEO and the Wife visit their pretty and idyllic California vacation home and encounter Nobody, who has broken into the property to commit petty theft.
The situation then rapidly escalates as the couple finds themselves being held for ransom. ‘Windfall’ is a film that explores the concept of victimhood and crime. If you have watched the movie and loved it, here is a list of recommendations for films that you might enjoy. You can watch most of these films similar to ‘Windfall’ on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
7. Funny Games (2007)
‘Funny Games’ is the American remake of the 1997 namesake Austrian film, both of which are directed by Michael Haneke. The movie revolves around the Farber family, who comes to stay at their lake house. They meet their neighbor Fred, who introduces them to two young men: Paul and Peter.
The Farbers notice that Fred is behaving oddly. They are subsequently taken hostage by the two young men, who force them to play sadistic games. Both ‘Windfall’ and ‘Funny Games’ belong to the home-invasion subgenre. Nether movie holds back while exploring the human psyche, even though their approach is vastly different from each other.
6. Static (2012)
Starring Milo Ventimiglia, Sara Paxton, and Sarah Shahi, ‘Static’ is a conventional home-intruder film for the most part. However, it has a shocking ending that makes you question everything you have seen until then. As with ‘Windfall,’ you start to question who the real victim and perpetrator are. The film revolves around novelist Jonathan Dade (Ventimiglia) and his wife Addie (Shahi), who are struggling to deal with the death of their son. A woman named Rachel (Paxton) shows up at their door one night, pleading with them to help her as a mysterious group of people in gas masks is chasing her.
5. Misery (1990)
Based on the 1987 namesake novel by Stephen King, ‘Misery’ tells the story of the celebrated author Paul Sheldon (James Caan), who ends up in an accident during a blizzard and loses consciousness. When he wakes up, he discovers that he has been seriously injured and is now a guest of a nurse named Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), who claims to be his number one fan.
However, Annie’s psychopathic nature is revealed when she discovers that Sheldon has killed off her favorite character. Like ‘Windfall,’ ‘Misery’ is a psychological thriller. Both are dense with dialogues, but the actions are superlative.
4. A Perfect Getaway (2009)
It’s rare to find a film that consciously uses its trailer to misdirect its audience. And that’s what ‘The Perfect Getaway’ does. It is implied that Timothy Olyphant’s character is the antagonist, while Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich’s characters are the terrified protagonists. However, things are very different from what they seem in this movie. The characters that Zahn and Jovovich portray are imposters and murderers, while Timothy Olyphant’s character and his girlfriend are potential victims. Like ‘Windfall,’ ‘A Perfect Getaway’ flips the script on the concept of victims and perpetrators.
3. 12 Angry Men (1957)
Like ‘Windfall’ and ‘Misery,’ ’12 Angry Men‘ is heavy on dialogues. The film is a courtroom drama that revolves around a murder trial. The title refers to the 12 jurors, most of whom intend to give a guilty verdict to the 18-year-old defendant. Initially, the only exception is Juror 8, who wants to discuss the case further before delivering a verdict. Like ‘Windfall,’ ’12 Angry Men’ employs the “no name given” trope, not revealing the names of all but two characters.
2. Bone (1972)
Bone is a black comedy film that tells the story of a volatile couple — Bernadette and Bill. One day, the eponymous character breaks into their home and holds them hostage. Bone soon learns that the couple is struggling financially despite the outward appearance of wealth. Still, he demands money from them and sends Bill to the bank, where the latter meets an attractive young woman. While her husband is gone, Bernadette tries to seduce Bone. Like ‘Windfall,’ ‘Bone’ has three main characters — the husband, the wife, and the criminal, who are all amoral. Moreover, both films view marriage from a highly pessimistic perspective.
1. Villains (2019)
Like in ‘Windfall,’ the intruders in ‘Villains’ turn out to be much better people than the homeowners. Mickey and Jules are a delinquent couple. They break into a remote home, intending to find gas for their car. However, they discover a young girl tied to a column. While trying to find a way to release her, they encounter the sadistic owners of the home — George and Gloria. ‘Villains’ is an unrelenting and brilliant film, filled with unexpected twists and turns. As with ‘Windfall,’ its plot is closely knit.
Read More: Windfall Ending, Explained
