Open Window (2005)

Synopsis: Izzy and Peter seem to have it all. They are deeply in love, challenged and engrossed in their careers as a photographer and an English professor, and have recently become engaged. They feel, gratefully, that in their warmly lit home and contented quotidian rituals, they have managed to carve... Izzy and Peter seem to have it all. They are deeply in love, challenged and engrossed in their careers as a photographer and an English professor, and have recently become engaged. They feel, gratefully, that in their warmly lit home and contented quotidian rituals, they have managed to carve out a blissful corner where the world's chaos and insanity are held at bay. Then one night, a senseless, random act of violence intrudes upon them from the tree-lined, suburban darkness of their quiet street, shaking them loose from their carefully planned lives. The ripple effects of violence touch hidden tensions within their relationship, and reveal buried facets of their deepest fears and desires. Mia Goldman's assured feature debut is an intimate character study that examines the ways in which a traumatic experience touches all relationships–with lovers, parents, and friends. Perhaps most striking are the quiet moments between Izzy and Peter, which, thanks to sensitive, complex performances from Robin Tunney and Joel Edgerton, carry enormous emotional weight. At once a moving portrait of survival and an intricate examination of a threatened relationship, Open Window underscores the healing power of reclaiming one's own self-determination. -- © Sundance Film Festival [More]