‘Windfall‘ makes you wonder who is the genuine victim and who is the real offender among its three characters – CEO/Husband (Jesse Plemons), Wife (Lily Collins), and ‘Nobody‘ (Jason Segel) – throughout its whole runtime. Depending on what part of the movie you’re watching at the time, the answers will differ.
‘Windfall’ is an intricately woven film. This compelling psychological thriller spends no time in typical indie frills, instead of delving deep into issues like fate, greed, and freedom.
This is reflected in the film’s title. Here’s everything you need to know.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.
Must Read: ‘Windfall’ (2022) Movie Review And Ending Explained
What Does the ‘Windfall’ Title Mean in the Movie?
The word “windfall” has two separate meanings, each of which applies to the broader storey in its own manner. Fruits that are blown off the branches of trees or plants are referred to as windfalls.
The novel is entirely set in and around the CEO and Wife’s sunny and lovely California vacation house. They have an orange grove on the property, and the fruit is so ripe that it is ready to be picked and can fall off even with a light breeze.
In both the American mentality and art, Californian abundance has traditionally symbolised wealth and prosperity.
Oklahomans, confronting the impacts of the Great Depression, drought, and huge industrial innovations in agriculture, embark on a painful trip to California during the Dust Bowl era in John Steinbeck’s 1939 novel “The Grapes of Wrath.”
The CEO, a tech billionaire, is both the source of inspiration and the source of unfairness for the other characters. Nobody ever explains why Nobody chose to target the CEO’s residence.
Nonetheless, there are enough hints to suggest that Nobody believes he has been persecuted by the CEO of whatever tech business he runs. His attempt at petty thievery is his means of retaliating. He didn’t expect the CEO and his Wife to show there, and he didn’t prepare for it.
Meanwhile, the Wife is trapped in a marriage that is becoming increasingly loveless. She accepted to marry the CEO since it has given her the opportunity to achieve things she would not have been able to do otherwise.
She may be referring to her charitable work, but it extends to every aspect of her life. She isn’t refusing the money, but she does intend to end the relationship by cutting all ties. She carries birth control tablets in her purse because of this.
Coming upon a fortune unexpectedly is another meaning of the word “Windfall.” Nobody goes to the CEO’s house with the intention of stealing any cash and goods he may find and instead walks away with $500,000.
That is an unexpected turn of events, but as the film’s conclusion reveals, he is not the ultimate beneficiary of the situation’s Windfall – the Wife is.
Throughout the film, the CEO’s and Wife’s marriage nearly falls apart. The seeds of their breakup were planted a long time ago, probably even before they married.
The Wife, on the other hand, was unable to leave the marriage for a variety of reasons, including a prenuptial agreement and the life she had gained out of the deal. The current conditions allow her to do precisely that, and she takes full advantage of it.
Gardener breaks the glass on one of the doors when he dies. A chunk of it is hidden under the Wife’s shoes. She breaks through her handcuffs while Nobody is talking to the CEO. As Nobody walks away with the money, she appears behind him with a large statue and kills him twice.
She then gets the gun, goes inside, and kills her husband by shooting him many times. After that, the Wife wipes the fingerprints off the gun with Nobody’s shirt before handing it over to him.
The Wife considered running away with the money when it was delivered, but she decided against it. The ending appears to put it in context. She decided to stay since she realised that while $500,000 might be sufficient for Nobody, she would require more.
Her unforeseeable circumstance has unanticipated consequences. She now has the potential to be worth billions of dollars.
