Unsane

Unsane now marks Steven Soderbergh’s 2nd theatrical feature since the director announced his retirement back in 2013. No rest for the wicked I suppose. Logan Lucky arrived in the summer of 2017 and now — for anyone who thought that heist movie was merely a one-shot deal — in the Spring of 2018 we get this new offering. The filmmaker is still keeping a lower profile though. To begin with, this isn’t a Hollywood studio undertaking. Like Logan Lucky, it’s distributed by Bleecker Street – a little independent film company based in New York. Secondly, it was entirely shot on an iPhone 7 Plus. Back in 2015, the game-changing Tangerine was notably filmed with an earlier version of the mobile device. Unsane further proves that the format can be a liberating option for any burgeoning (or established) artist with a creative story to tell.

Unsane details the mental collapse of a businesswoman named Sawyer Valentini (Claire Foy). Sawyer has recently started a new job in an unfamiliar city after moving away from her mother (Amy Irving). Following a panic attack during a blind date, we learn that Sawyer is not well. She visits Highland Creek, a mental-health facility and answers a few questions with the counselor on duty. After admitting she has contemplated suicide on occasion, she is presented with some forms to sign. Let this be a warning: ALWAYS READ THE FINE PRINT. As a result, Sawyer inadvertently commits herself to spend 24 hours in the hospital’s psychiatric ward. Her belligerent behavior quickly upgrades her stay to a full week.

Unsane is a nifty little thriller. In time she is confronted by a man (Joshua Leonard) working at the facility that she believes to be her former stalker. But what is real? Is Sawyer actually insane? Is she really in a mental institution? Is this nurse really her stalker? Savvy audiences are used to having the rug pulled out from under them. The screenplay by James Greer and Jonathan Bernstein skillfully exploits the mystery to great effect. Giving life to their efficient script is a masterful performance by English actress Claire Foy (TV’s The Crown) sporting an American Accent and long bob. She’s very convincing the role. In fact, she’s oddly reminiscent of Kristen Stewart. I’d love to see the two play sisters in some diabolical thriller, preferably directed by Olivier Assayas or David Fincher. Just take my money.

You might rightly classify this drama as a “woman-in-peril” potboiler. This is a B-movie at its most elemental core. Yet Steven Soderbergh is much too talented a director to succumb to clichés of the genre. The director keeps the action taut and suspenseful. There’s a lot of working components to stimulate the proceedings. Actors Jay Pharoah and Juno Temple portray two of Sawyer’s fellow patients. He is sympathetic. She is hostile. The primitive cinematography is assisted by a fisheye lens. The format lends a claustrophobic air to the proceedings. It’s an uncomfortable watch causing distress to the viewer. I can’t say I exactly “enjoyed” the experience but it effectively captivated my interest for 98 minutes. That’s a recommendation in my book.