Peter Cameron’s OPEN is a sharp, dark comedy-thriller that dissects the emotional and psychological messiness of an open relationship with biting wit and uncomfortable realism. At the heart of OPEN is the troubled relationship between Natasha and Felix. The couple has decided to open their marriage, a choice that rapidly spirals into a series of personal crises. Natasha becomes increasingly obsessed with Felix’s interactions with his boss, a confident female character, triggering her insecurities and paranoia. These insecurities, exacerbated by Felix’s dismissive attitude towards her concerns, set off a chain of misunderstandings that escalate throughout the film.
What Cameron does brilliantly is using the absurdity of the situation to highlight deeper emotional wounds. Natasha’s desperate attempts to reclaim control—texting, calling, and even dragging Felix on awkward “dates”—are both funny and tragic, as they showcase her fear of losing him to an unknown threat. The film deftly balances its comedic moments with escalating tension, making the audience laugh at the absurdity of Natasha’s actions, only to feel the uncomfortable weight of her emotional turmoil.
Natasha (the wife) is the film’s emotional anchor. Her insecurity about Felix’s relationship with his boss is both relatable and tragic, as it drives her to actions that blur the line between humor and desperation. Natasha’s character is defined by her vulnerability; she is a woman trying to navigate her fears and desires while grappling with the complexities of an open marriage. Her attempts to control the situation through passive-aggressive humor and staged “dates” with Felix reflect her underlying need for validation and certainty. Natasha’s emotional breakdowns, although exaggerated for comedic effect, ring true in their portrayal of the fragility of self-esteem in the face of infidelity.
Felix (husband) serves as the catalyst for the conflict. His reaction to Natasha’s insecurities is a mixture of frustration and apathy, creating a complex portrait of a man caught between the desire for freedom and the responsibility of maintaining his relationship. Felix’s refusal to take Natasha’s feelings seriously only deepens the cracks in their marriage. His emotional detachment contrasts sharply with Natasha’s intense feelings, and their interactions expose the uneven power dynamics in their relationship. Felix’s character is both unsympathetic and, at times, pitiable, as he is swept along by the very chaos he helped create.
The film’s tone is one of growing ridiculousness, with crisp, funny banter offering breaks from the mounting stress. Cameron expertly employs the dark humour genre to reveal the fragility and instability in relationships that would otherwise appear too raw to discuss. The film’s photography, which focusses on close-ups of the pair in emotionally charged settings, heightens the sense of claustrophobia around their disintegrating relationship.
OPEN also criticises existing relationship systems, claiming that, despite the flexibility of an open marriage, the burden of trust and instability is frequently too great to endure. The film’s unresolved finale puts the couple’s future in limbo, representing the ambiguity and complexity of real-life partnerships where personal difficulties and emotional fissures are rarely apparent.
Though it’s a dark comedy thriller Set against the backdrop of a couple—Natasha and Felix—struggling to settle into their new dynamic, the film explores themes of insecurity, distrust, and the complexities of modern relationships. The humor is wicked, but beneath the laughs lies a growing tension that builds to a crescendo of suspense and emotional unraveling. It has well-drawn characters, the film explores the destructive power of insecurity, the fragility of trust, and the ways in which relationships can devolve into chaos when communication breaks down. With sharp writing, compelling performances, and an ever-present tension, OPEN is a thought-provoking examination of love in the modern age.
