Warning! SPOILERS for Windfall.
Windfall is filmed in only one location, treating the audience to a picturesque vacation view, while highlighting the film’s primary theme. The Netflix neo-noir thriller Windfall stars a talented ensemble cast, including Jason Segel, Jesse Plemons, and Lily Collins. While the filmmakers’ decision to shoot the project on one site is partly caused by the pandemic, it is also instrumental in getting the film’s message across.
Opening with Nobody’s (Segel) home break-in, Windfall quickly escalates into a hostage situation involving the CEO (Plemons) and his Wife (Collins). Through the intimate conversations they are forced to share, the differences among their socioeconomic status and ambitions become more noticeable. However, the film does not only focus on its characters’ lots in life, as it also explores the fine line between envy and entitlement. Ultimately, towards Windfall's ending, the movie shows how every choice branches out and results in a ripple effect.
Windfall marks director Charlie McDowell’s third feature-length film, after his debut The One I Love and his sophomore effort The Discovery. Similar to McDowell’s previous works, his latest Hitchcockian thriller incorporates only a handful of characters, choosing instead to emphasize relationship dynamics and location shooting. With that, here is where Windfall was filmed.
Windfall's Vacation Home Location - Casa Ojai Inn, Ojai, California
In July 2021, McDowell celebrated Windfall’s production wrap by sharing an Instagram post. He revealed that Windfall's filming location was his hometown, Ojai, California. Viewers familiar with the small city would easily recognize the TopaTopa Mountains adorning the film’s outdoor scenes, while the surrounding Los Padres National Forest contributed to its aesthetic. Additionally, this location was only a mile away from where McDowell shot The One I Love.
The majority of Windfall’s events took place within the CEO and Wife’s vacation property. In real life, the home where Windfall was filmed is actually the three-star hotel Casa Ojai Inn, situated near the Soule Park Golf Course. Interestingly, McDowell and his frequent collaborators Andrew Kevin Walker and Justin Lader devised the plot of Windfall based on this property. Since they were sure that the location was available, they decided to reverse engineer the film in order to fit the site. Furthermore, Windfall’s creators were influenced by the pandemic, so they wanted to capture the feeling of being trapped in a particular space. Thus, the entirety of the film was crafted behind the gates of Casa Ojai Inn, and nobody left until the production ended.
This luxurious location then became a symbol of the class struggle among Windfall’s unnamed characters, especially the CEO’s lavish life that Nobody aspired to understand and possess. Ironically, a place initially meant for comfort and relaxation turned into a crime scene. At the end of Windfall, the Wife strived to regain control and freedom over her future, leaving their vacation home marked with the blood of her oppressors.