Friday, 18 May 2018

Unsane

Steven Soderbergh's un-retirement continues with this low-budget thriller (shot on an iphone). When a woman realises the trauma of a previous relationship is still fresh, she seeks counselling - but finds herself committed to a psych ward, where things rapidly spiral out of control. Sodebergh brings a whole lot of style to the setup, using the flat digital iphone look to give the grim normality of the institution an unsavory edge, but knowing when to bring out the flashier moments. There's some nice twists and turns, together with a little bit of political and social edge as health-care and the ease with which abusers can get away with their crimes gets a pasting - though this is ultimately more interested in its woman-in-peril plot than the deeper social underpinnings.

Claire Foy is a long way from "The Crown" in the lead, but she's a great talent to watch - not necessarily easily sympathetic (her character is, understandably, guarded and a little on-edge from the moment we meet her) but consistently watchable. Supporting actors are similarly strong. I can't argue that this is one of Sodebergh's best films, but it's consistently watchable and tense right to the final moment.

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