Unsane

Last updated
Unsane
Unsane (film).png
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Written by
Produced byJoseph Malloch
Starring
Cinematography Peter Andrews
Edited by Mary Ann Bernard
Music byDavid Wilder Savage
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • February 21, 2018 (2018-02-21)(Berlinale)
  • March 23, 2018 (2018-03-23)(United States)
Running time
98 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1.5 million [2]
Box office$14.3 million [3]

Unsane is a 2018 American psychological thriller film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Jonathan Bernstein and James Greer. The film stars Claire Foy, Joshua Leonard, Jay Pharoah, Juno Temple, Aimee Mullins, and Amy Irving. Matt Damon has a cameo appearance as a detective. The film follows a woman confined to a mental institution after she is pursued by a stalker. The film was shot entirely on the iPhone 7 Plus.

Contents

Unsane had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 21, 2018, and was theatrically released in the United States on March 23, 2018, by Soderbergh's production company Fingerprint Releasing and Bleecker Street. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $14 million on a budget of $1.5 million. It received generally positive reviews from critics, who mainly praised the performances, direction, cinematography and production values.

Plot

Sawyer Valentini is a woman who moves away from her home in Boston to escape a stalker. However, she is still traumatized, having a brief reaction while on a date. She talks with a counselor at Highland Creek Behavioral Center, unknowingly signing a consent form for voluntary 24-hour admission to a locked psychiatric hospital. She calls the police but they do nothing when they see the signed form. During the night, stress causes Sawyer to lash out through physical altercations with a patient and a staff member. As a result, the staff psychiatrist retains her for seven more days.

Another patient, Nate Hoffman, reveals to Sawyer that Highland Creek is running a scheme to milk health insurance claims for profit. They trick people into voluntarily committing themselves as long as the patients' insurance companies continue to pay; when insurance claims run out, the patient is "cured" and released. One day, Sawyer sees David Strine, her stalker, working as an orderly under the pseudonym George Shaw.

Nate has a secret cellphone, and Sawyer uses it to call her mother, Angela, who attempts to get her out; Sawyer reveals to her mother about having been stalked, and explains that David is at the hospital. David intentionally gives Sawyer a large dose of methylphenidate, causing her to appear insane. That evening, he convinces Angela, who had never seen him before, that he is a hotel employee, and kills her.

David feels threatened with Sawyer and Nate together, knocking Nate unconscious and secretly torturing him with a defibrillator before killing him with an overdose of fentanyl. Sawyer finds Nate's phone under her pillow, with images of Nate badly beaten. She alerts the staff, who dismiss and put her in solitary confinement. David visits Sawyer and says he has a secluded mountain cabin he wants to take Sawyer to. Sawyer mocks him for his inexperience with women. David later returns and reveals he faked that Sawyer's insurance ran out, changing her status to released. In a forest, the body of the real George Shaw is found.

Looking for a way out, Sawyer feigns concern that David is a virgin, and that she does not want to be his first. She convinces David to have sex with another woman to prove that he will only want Sawyer after losing his virginity. Sawyer suggests Violet, another patient who previously threatened Sawyer with a shank, and he brings her to the solitary confinement cell. Sawyer uses Violet's shank to stab David in the neck and flees as he kills Violet. He recaptures Sawyer outside, and she wakes up in the trunk of his car next to her mother's corpse.

Sawyer jumps from the trunk of the moving car and flees into the woods with David in pursuit. David catches Sawyer and breaks her ankle with a hammer. She stabs him in the eye with Angela's cross and slashes his throat with the shank. Meanwhile, it is revealed that Nate was an undercover investigative journalist sent to investigate Highland Creek. Police execute a warrant on the center and arrest the hospital administrator. Six months later, while at lunch, Sawyer thinks she sees David sitting in the restaurant. She approaches him with a knife, but upon realizing it is not him drops the knife and runs away in a panic.

Cast

Production

In July 2017, it was announced Steven Soderbergh had shot a film in secret in June 2017, starring Claire Foy and Juno Temple. The film was shot on an iPhone 7 Plus in 4K using the app FiLMiC Pro, and was released through Soderbergh's Fingerprint Releasing banner. [4] [5] [6] [7] In August 2017, Jay Pharoah confirmed that he was a co-star in the film. [8]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 21, 2018. [9] and was released in the United States on March 23, 2018. [10]

Reception

Box office

Unsane has grossed $7.7 million in the United States and Canada, and $6.5 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $14.2 million. [11]

In the United States and Canada, Unsane was released alongside Pacific Rim Uprising , Midnight Sun , Sherlock Gnomes and Paul, Apostle of Christ , and was projected to gross $3 million from 2,023 theaters in its opening weekend. [12] It ended up debuting to $3.7 million, finishing 11th at the box office. [13] In its second weekend the film made $1.4 million, a 61.6% drop. [14]

Critical response

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 80% based on 239 reviews, and an average rating of 6.7/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Unsane unleashes Steven Soderbergh's inner B-movie maestro, wading into timeless psychological thriller territory and giving it a high-tech filmmaking spin." [15] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 63 out of 100, based on 45 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [16] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B−" on an A+ to F scale. [13]

Richard Brody from The New Yorker wrote "Above all, [Soderbergh] revels, with palpable joy, in his repertory of distorted, disturbing, lurid yet lucid images, making a furious movie that signifies nothing but the irrepressible vitality of the cinema itself. Soderbergh's experiment is a success." [17] Justin Chang of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Soderbergh is one of the most dexterous directors working in the American mainstream, and he has a sly talent for lacing even a seemingly disposable genre offering with smart, incisive ideas." [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Soderbergh</span> American filmmaker (born 1963)

Steven Andrew Soderbergh is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor. A pioneer of modern independent cinema, Soderbergh later drew acclaim for formally inventive films made within the studio system.

<i>Sex, Lies, and Videotape</i> 1989 film by Steven Soderbergh

Sex, Lies, and Videotape is a 1989 American independent drama film written and directed by Steven Soderbergh. The plot tells the story of a troubled man who videotapes women discussing their sexuality and fantasies, and its impact on the relationships of a troubled married couple and the wife's younger sister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riley Keough</span> American actress (born 1989)

Danielle Riley Keough is an American actress and the eldest grandchild of Elvis Presley. She made her feature film debut in a supporting part in the musical biopic The Runaways (2010), portraying Marie Currie. Keough subsequently starred in the independent thriller The Good Doctor (2011), before being cast in a minor role in Steven Soderbergh's comedy film Magic Mike (2012). She appeared in her first big-budget release in the action feature Mad Max: Fury Road (2015).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amy Irving</span> American actress and singer

Amy Irving is an American actress and singer, who worked in film, stage, and television. Her accolades include an Obie Award, and nominations for two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award.

<i>Erin Brockovich</i> (film) 2000 film by Steven Soderbergh

Erin Brockovich is a 2000 American biographical legal drama film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Susannah Grant. The film is a dramatization of the true story of Erin Brockovich, portrayed by Julia Roberts, who initiated a legal case against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company over its culpability for the Hinkley groundwater contamination incident. Erin Brockovich premiered in Los Angeles on March 14, 2000, and was released theatrically in the United States by Universal Pictures on March 17, 2000, and internationally by Columbia Pictures. It emerged as a critical and commercial success, grossing over $256 million worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claire Foy</span> British actress (born 1984)

Claire Elizabeth Foy is a British actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in the Netflix drama series The Crown (2016–2023), for which she received various accolades such as a Golden Globe and two Primetime Emmy Awards.

<i>The Girlfriend Experience</i> 2009 film by Steven Soderbergh

The Girlfriend Experience is a 2009 American slice-of-life drama film directed by Steven Soderbergh, written by Brian Koppelman and David Levien, and starring then-pornographic actress Sasha Grey. It was shot in New York City, and a rough cut was screened at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2009. The film was also made available on Amazon Video on Demand as a pre-theatrical rental.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Greer (writer)</span> American novelist and screenwriter

James Greer is an American novelist, screenwriter, director, musician, and critic. As a screenwriter, he is known for writing the 2018 thriller Unsane directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Claire Foy and Juno Temple, as well as the family comedies Max Keeble's Big Move, Just My Luck and The Spy Next Door. He lives in Los Angeles.

<i>The Knick</i> American television drama series

The Knick is an American medical period drama television series on Cinemax created by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler and directed by Steven Soderbergh. The series follows Dr. John W. Thackery and the staff at a fictionalized version of the Knickerbocker Hospital in New York during the early twentieth century. Amiel and Begler wrote the majority of the episodes and are executive producers. Owen, Soderbergh, Gregory Jacobs, and Michael Sugar were executive producers. Steven Katz was the supervising producer and also writer, Michael Polaire was the producer and David Kirchner the associate producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amy Seimetz</span> American actress, writer, director

Amy Seimetz is an American actress and filmmaker. She has appeared in several productions, including AMC's The Killing, HBO's Family Tree, and films like Upstream Color, Alien: Covenant, Pet Sematary, and No Sudden Move.

<i>Pacific Rim Uprising</i> 2018 film by Steven S. DeKnight

Pacific Rim Uprising is a 2018 American science fiction monster film directed by Steven S. DeKnight, and written by DeKnight, Emily Carmichael, Kira Snyder and T.S. Nowlin. It is the sequel to the 2013 film Pacific Rim, and second installment in the Pacific Rim franchise. Guillermo del Toro, director of the first movie, serves as a producer; while production studios Legendary Pictures and Double Dare You Productions developed the movie. The sequel stars John Boyega, as well as Scott Eastwood, Cailee Spaeny in her film debut, Jing Tian, Adria Arjona and Zhang Jin, with Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, and Burn Gorman returning from the original film. Set ten years after the events of the first film, Pacific Rim Uprising sees former pilot and Stacker Pentecost's son Jake (Boyega) returning to the Pan Pacific Defense Corps to prevent a renewed Kaiju–giant sea monsters–threat sent by the extraterrestrial Precursors.

<i>Fifty Shades Freed</i> (film) 2018 film directed by James Foley

Fifty Shades Freed is a 2018 American erotic romantic drama film directed by James Foley and written by Niall Leonard, based on E. L. James's 2012 novel of the same name. Produced by Perfect World Pictures, Michael De Luca Productions, and Trigger Street Productions, and distributed by Universal Pictures, it is the third and final installment in the Fifty Shades film series, following Fifty Shades of Grey (2015) and Fifty Shades Darker (2017). The film stars Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan as Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, respectively, and follows the couple as they marry, and must deal with Ana's former boss Jack Hyde, who begins to stalk them.

<i>The Girl in the Spiders Web</i> (film) 2018 film by Fede Álvarez

The Girl in the Spider's Web is a 2018 action thriller film directed by Fede Álvarez, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jay Basu and Steven Knight, based on the 2015 novel of the same name by David Lagercrantz, which in turn was based on characters introduced in the Millennium book series by Stieg Larsson. The film acts as a soft reboot and sequel to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011). It stars Claire Foy in the role of Lisbeth Salander, and follows Salander as she battles against a mysterious notorious organization, the Spiders, who seek world dominance. Sverrir Gudnason, Lakeith Stanfield, Sylvia Hoeks, and Stephen Merchant appear in supporting roles.

<i>Logan Lucky</i> 2017 American film by Steven Soderbergh

Logan Lucky is a 2017 American heist comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh, based on a screenplay written by his wife Jules Asner. Soderbergh came out of retirement to direct the film and distributed it independently through his own company, Fingerprint Releasing. The film features an ensemble cast consisting of Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Riley Keough, Daniel Craig, Seth MacFarlane, Katie Holmes, Hilary Swank, Katherine Waterston, and Sebastian Stan. The film follows the Logan family and their attempt to rob the Charlotte Motor Speedway whilst avoiding security officers and the FBI.

<i>High Flying Bird</i> 2019 film by Steven Soderbergh

High Flying Bird is a 2019 American sports drama film directed by Steven Soderbergh, from a story suggested by André Holland, with the screenplay by Tarell Alvin McCraney. The film stars Holland, Zazie Beetz, Melvin Gregg, Sonja Sohn, Zachary Quinto, Glenn Fleshler, Jeryl Prescott, Justin Hurtt-Dunkley, Caleb McLaughlin, Bobbi Bordley, Kyle MacLachlan, and Bill Duke, with additional appearances of basketball players Reggie Jackson, Karl-Anthony Towns and Donovan Mitchell. The film follows a sports agent who must pull off a plan in 72 hours, pitching a controversial opportunity to his client, a rookie basketball player during the company's lockout. The film was shot entirely on the iPhone 8, becoming Soderbergh's second film to be shot on an iPhone, after Unsane.

<i>Oceans 8</i> 2018 film by Gary Ross

Ocean's Eight is a 2018 American heist comedy film directed by Gary Ross and written by Ross and Olivia Milch. The film is both a spin-off from Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's series, and the fourth installment thereof. The film features an ensemble cast including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter. The film follows a group of women led by Debbie Ocean, the sister of Danny Ocean, who plan a sophisticated heist at the annual Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

<i>Ingrid Goes West</i> 2017 film by Matt Spicer

Ingrid Goes West is a 2017 American black comedy drama film directed by Matt Spicer and written by Spicer and David Branson Smith. The film stars Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, Billy Magnussen, Wyatt Russell, Pom Klementieff, and O'Shea Jackson Jr., and follows a young woman who moves to Los Angeles in an effort to befriend her Instagram idol.

<i>I Feel Pretty</i> (film) 2018 American film directed by Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein

I Feel Pretty is a 2018 American comedy film written and directed by Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein. The film stars Amy Schumer, Michelle Williams, Emily Ratajkowski, Rory Scovel, Aidy Bryant, Busy Philipps, Tom Hopper, Naomi Campbell, and Lauren Hutton. The plot involves an insecure woman who, after suffering a head injury, gains extreme self-confidence in her appearance.

Mosaic is a 2017 murder mystery by Steven Soderbergh, producer Casey Silver, and writer Ed Solomon, published via HBO. It was released in two forms: as an iOS/Android mobile app and as a 2018 television drama. The app works like an interactive film; while the user cannot affect the plot, they can choose from which perspective the same plot is viewed, and learn different facets of it. Users can also investigate on their own time background documents, emails, news clippings, voice mails, police reports, and the like in a "Discoveries" option.

<i>Kimi</i> (film) 2022 American film by Steven Soderbergh

Kimi is a 2022 American thriller film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written and produced by David Koepp. The film stars Zoë Kravitz. It was released on HBO Max on February 10, 2022, to generally positive reviews.

References

  1. ↑ "UNSANE (15)". British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on 2018-03-02. Retrieved 2018-03-01. Retrieved March 1, 2018
  2. ↑ McClintock, Pamela (March 22, 2018). "Box-Office Preview: 'Pacific Rim Uprising' Set to Stomp Past 'Black Panther'". The Hollywood Reporter . Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on March 22, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Unsane (2018)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on September 24, 2019. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  4. ↑ Sneider, Jeff (July 18, 2017). "Steven Soderbergh, Claire Foy Team for Secret Movie Shot on iPhone". The Tracking Board. Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  5. ↑ Kroll, Justin (July 18, 2017). "Juno Temple to Co-Star With Claire Foy in Steven Soderbergh's Next Movie (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on July 20, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  6. ↑ Sharf, Zack (July 18, 2017). "Steven Soderbergh Shot a Secret Movie on His iPhone, Starring Claire Foy and Juno Temple". IndieWire . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on July 19, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  7. ↑ Raup, Jordan (July 20, 2017). "Steven Soderbergh Secretly Shot a Film on His iPhone". The Film Stage. Archived from the original on October 18, 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  8. ↑ Rahman, Ray (August 16, 2017). "Steven Soderbergh's secret movie is 'Get Out-ish, but different,' teases Jay Pharoah". Entertainment Weekly . Time. Archived from the original on October 23, 2017. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  9. ↑ Chu, Henry (January 22, 2018). "Steven Soderbergh's 'Unsane,' Four Other Films Added to Berlin Lineup". Variety . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on February 1, 2018. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
  10. ↑ Lee, Ashley (November 14, 2017). "Steven Soderbergh's Horror Pic 'Unsane' Gets March 2018 Release Date". The Hollywood Reporter . Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on November 15, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  11. ↑ "Unsane (2018)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on September 24, 2019. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  12. ↑ Rubin, Rebecca (March 21, 2018). "Box Office Preview: 'Pacific Rim Uprising' Set to Break 'Black Panther's' Five-Week Streak". Variety . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on March 22, 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  13. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 25, 2018). "Does 'Pacific Rim: Uprising' Break Even At The Global B.O.?; 'Black Panther' Sets Marvel Record – Sunday Postmortem". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on March 24, 2018. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  14. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 1, 2018). "How Warner Bros. Sold 'Ready Player One' On The Spielberg Spirit & Beat Tracking With $53M+ 4-Day – Sunday Postmortem". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on April 1, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Unsane (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Unsane Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on May 18, 2018. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  17. ↑ Brody, Richard (March 26, 2018). "Steven Soderbergh's Inspired iPhone Experiment in "Unsane"". The New Yorker . Archived from the original on July 2, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  18. ↑ Chang, Justin (May 22, 2018). "Claire Foy plays a woman in peril in Steven Soderbergh's smart, unnerving psychothriller 'Unsane'". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on July 2, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.