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Open Window

Open Window

When bad things happen to good people...

200697 minRMidcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
Director
Mia Goldman
Starring
Robin Tunney, Joel Edgerton, Cybill Shepherd, Matt Keeslar

The engagment between a struggling photographer and an assistant professor is marred by an act of violence.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Open Window?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Open Window on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Open Window?

Open Window earns 1 badge: Award Winner.

Reception

Is Open Window worth watching?

Open Window's Midcredits score is the 47th percentile of all films, from 1.4K ratings across 4 sources. 44% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

47th percentile

Better received than 47% of films

44th percentile among Drama45th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)49th
Approval (how many liked it)44th

61 /100

49th percentile of all films

48th percentile among Drama49th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.3 — solid but not unanimous.

44% liked it

44th percentile of all films

40th percentile among Drama41st percentile among 2000s
44% rated it 7–1056% rated it 1–6

Critics 20% · Audience 33%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 3 wins / 0 noms overall

53rd percentile

1.4K ratings across platforms

56th percentile among Drama45th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 13% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$900K

What reviewers say

Common ground

A quiet, talk-driven drama about a couple coping with the aftermath of a rape.

Fans praised

  • strong lead performances by Tunney and Edgerton
  • quiet, subtle handling of trauma's aftermath
  • honest portrayal of relationship strain and healing

Detractors panned

  • undirected story with no plot momentum
  • excessive dialogue scenes lacking narrative purpose
  • unmotivated characters and thin writing

What stands out

Acting78

compelling lead performances; Shepherd criticized as forced

Emotional impact75

moving portrayal of trauma and healing

OriginalityDivisive70

rare focus on ripple effects of trauma on relationships

Atmosphere65

quiet, intimate tone that deepens emotional weight

DialogueDivisive60

natural conversations; also called endless talk

CharactersDivisive55

realistic vs unmotivated and unlikable

Plot and storyDivisive45

no direction, non-scenes with little narrative drive

PacingDivisive45

slow build; first hour loses some viewers

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is Open Window like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and bittersweet: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want a story that moves you and leaves an ache.

It takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Moving and bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: Moods
MelancholicTense
Heaviest: middle
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its difficult subject matter straight, aiming for a quiet, sincere portrayal of trauma and its aftermath without sensationalism.
The rideThe film sustains a somber, tense mood as the couple grapples with the aftermath, with a heavy stretch in the middle as the trauma is processed.
StructureThe synopsis and reviews suggest a conventional narrative tracing the couple's engagement, the violent act, and its aftermath in chronological order.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: BittersweetThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer with the complex, unresolved feelings of the couple's journey, a mix of sadness and tentative hope.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).RebirthHealing
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% (this title) · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Healing: Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).

13% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe film follows a couple attempting to recover from the trauma of a rape, a process of healing from a devastating event. The plot is driven by their emotional recovery rather than external action.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfTraumaSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% (this title) · Trauma 7% (this title) · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

Trauma · 7% of filmsRomantic love · 15% of filmsGrief · 6% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the aftermath of a violent act and how the couple copes with the direct and indirect trauma, testing the strength of their relationship.
StanceThe film observes the couple's struggle to heal from trauma without judging their choices, presenting the emotional fallout with restraint.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Cliff Eidelman
SettingA contemporary American city, in the couple's apartment and workplaces.

Content guide

Is Open Window okay for kids?

R

Open Window is rated R: “Rated R for violence involving rape, language, some sexuality and nudity” (MPAA). As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at intense (70/100), language at minimal (0/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 87%
Profanity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (15 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Open Window have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Open Window?

Cast

Robin Tunney
as Izzy Fieldston
Joel Edgerton
as Peter Delaney
Cybill Shepherd
as Arlene Fieldston
Matt Keeslar
as The Rapist
Scott Wilson
as Eddie Delaney
Shirley Knight
as Dr. Ann Monohan
Elliott Gould
as John Fieldston
Michaela Conlin
as Miranda
Justin Ashforth
as Larry
Donn Swaby
as Greg

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Open Window?

Movies like Open Window include Hope Gap (2019), The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Her (2013) and Fathers & Daughters (2015). All three are stories of healing; two are films set in academia.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Open Window?

3.6K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: melodrama. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.