Review: Heist drama is an actors’ ‘Windfall’ for Jason Segel, Jesse Plemons and Lily Collins

Within the opening minutes of the twisty heist drama “Windfall,” an unnamed burglar performed by Jason Segel (known as “No one” within the credit) wanders idly via an empty trip residence in a picturesque California mountain location. He’s dwelling his dream, unbothered and unrushed, snooping via the drawers and cupboards of the fabulously rich and taking what he desires.

Then, unexpectedly, the property’s homeowners arrive. Performed by Jesse Plemons and Lily Collins (cited within the credit as “CEO” and “Spouse”), the couple is at first startled, and desperate to shoo away the interloper, sending him off with just a few thousand {dollars} in his pocket. However when this No one returns — involved that he’s been ID-ed by their safety cameras — the CEO and his spouse shift to toying with him, promising him more cash if he’ll stick round lengthy sufficient to clarify why he focused them.

“No one” was directed by Charlie McDowell, who additionally wrote the story with Justin Lader, Andrew Kevin Walker and his three leads (all of whom are additionally producers on the movie). Although the story takes place virtually totally in and round this one home, the forged fills the area impressively, making the movie really feel fuller. Additionally useful in creating an unsettling tone: an alternately haunting and dissonant orchestral rating by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans (finest recognized for his or her work on the TV sequence “Ozark”).

McDowell and firm fumble a bit in the case of plotting — one thing that, to be frank, is fairly vital in the case of movies about crimes and capers. After the grabby preliminary setup, there’s one main shock remaining. In any other case, this story is extra about digging into the pasts of those characters than what they’re doing within the current. There’s numerous chit-chat and never numerous motion.

However “Windfall” is, all through, a top-notch actors’ showcase. Segel delivers one other of his compellingly muted takes on a cautious mope, continuously looking out for what’s going to go incorrect subsequent. Plemons explores the darker dimensions of a crafty plutocrat, unwilling to present anyone something he thinks they don’t deserve. And Collins delivers one in every of her finest performances, as a girl regularly coming to appreciate she may be capable of flip this intense standoff to her benefit.

Even when the narrative stalls, McDowell and cinematographer Isiah Donté Lee can at all times drop in additional pictures of the superb property, which appears to be like like luxurious incarnate, sitting simply past the attain of bizarre of us. At its coronary heart, “Windfall” is concerning the more and more widening line between the haves and the have-nots, and the way exhausting it’s even for a decided No one to cross it.