“I think this is the future. Anybody going to see this movie who has no idea of the backstory of the production will have no idea this was shot on the phone.” It’s a testament to a gifted filmmaker like Steven Soderbergh to make the spine-tingling thriller ‘Unsane’ on an iPhone. It works since the boxy, claustrophobic images add to the intensity of the story. It’s about a woman held in a psychiatric hospital against her will. What sets ‘Unsane’ apart from psychological thrillers like ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ is how the film examines male predatory behavior and discredits female credibility. It also features a brilliant performance from Claire Foy that resonates during the timeliness of the #MeToo movement.
The story centers on yuppie Sawyer Valentini (Foy) who relocated from Boston to Pennsylvania to recover from a stalker. Through brief flashbacks, we see her get a restraining order against a man named David Shrine (Joshua Leonard). He’s the kind of guy that just doesn’t get the hint that she is not interested in him. Sawyer is smart, independent and is good at her high-paying job as a data analyst. When she finds herself struggling to get back into a healthy relationship, she turns to counseling sessions at Highland Creek Behavioral Center during her lunch break. After Sawyer meets for an initial consultation, the therapist misconstrues her thoughts of harming herself. She inadvertently signs paperwork that lands her in an impatient ward for a 24-hour observation. Because of her hostility toward staff and reluctance to get along with the other patients, the 24-hour hold turns into a longer stay.
To make matters worse, she recognizes an orderly as her stalker! Is she imagining this or is he really her creepy harasser? He goes by the name George Shaw and the staff believe him over the heavily medicated Sawyer. This is when Soderbergh ratchets up the suspense. Nobody seems to believe her. They dismiss her as being delusional. She is also at odds with an unstable patient named Violet (Juno Temple). Thankfully, she finds an ally in another patient, Nate (Jay Pharoah) who has smuggled a cell phone into the facility. He believes that she is not crazy and simply got caught up in a big mental health insurance scam there. He assures her that if she just does her time without any conflict, she will be home before she knows it. That’s a difficult proposition for her to swallow since David now works there. Nate is kind enough to lend her his phone to call her mother (Amy Irving) in order to send the authorities to rescue her. Her mother quickly becomes frustrated with the nightmarish bureaucracy of Highland Creek.
The way Soderbergh follows Sawyer around the institution makes the audience feel like a voyeur. We are there every step of the way in her agonizing journey for freedom. The screenplay by Jonathan Bernstein and James Greer is smartly written. Every time Sawyer makes progress, there is another hurdle thrown in her direction. Foy delivers a revelatory performance. It’s complex and layered. She is not portraying the stereotypical sweet and innocent girl here. She has a temper and she is not afraid to lash out at people that get in her way. The performances from Temple and Pharoah as co-patients are equally good. Leonard as the stalker is creepy and will make you feel repulsed by anyone with a bushy beard. Sorry millennials beards can look disturbing on certain individuals.
Whether a film is shot on an iPhone or RED digital camera, ‘Unsane’ reminds us that it is the skill of the filmmaker as a storyteller and technician that makes a good movie. Soderbergh not only shows off his talents but he drives home a cautionary tale on the perils of not believing women. It’s lean, it’s raw and it’s a suspenseful thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Technology may be changing the way we watch a movie but it always boils down to good storytelling. ‘Unsane’ is a creepy psychothriller that deserves your attention.
