Unhinged
After a confrontation with an unstable man at an intersection, a woman becomes the target of his rage.
Cast
Russell Crowe – Tom
Caren Pistorius – Rachel
Gabriel Bateman – Kyle
Jimmi Simpson – Andy
Austin P. McKenzie – Fred
Stephen Louis Grush – Leo (gas station cutsomer)
I sat and watched Unhinged with delicious satisfaction at how its aggressive streak mirrored exactly that of everything I’d felt almost on a daily basis through the entire first lockdown. Coming out of lockdown and sitting in front of something like this was shocking, but strangely needed.
What better way to come out the other side of social desertion then to grab a nice coffee and watch an angry man hurtling around motorways bludgeoning people for an hour and a half? It was a strange atmosphere in the cinema that day. But at the same time, this movie was the perfect way to go. It’s not a bad watch at all, and is action-packed from start to grisly finish.
It seems incredible how a lonesome man can take complete control of a random woman’s life – from his car – following the briefest of encounters in a traffic delay. 90% of Unhinged is him chasing her down freeways and quiet suburban streets. But however absurd this concept may seem, it actually works. The mix of urgency from being constantly on the move, and insecurity of desperately needing help from people around you who are oblivious as to what’s going on, makes a strangely palatable cocktail of adrenaline.
Crowe is the perfect nasty bastard. His portrayal of Tom is so authentic you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d switched over to an actual documentary about road rage. The best thing about him is how little the actor has to try; he tells you everything you need to know with the slightest twitch in his mouth or just him staring blankly at another person. This entire film was just a tea break for Crowe. He’s everything you despise about the male race rolled into one; short fused, arrogant, aggressive..
and above all – nastily self-righteous in his actions. This isn’t helped by the fact he’s a big greasy lump of a man. He’s fucking horrible – it’s fantastic.
On the complete opposite however, I couldn’t decide whether Pistorius was the best casting choice for Rachel. Yes, she cries at points, and gets angry. And delivers as best a performance as she can as a single mother sitting in a traffic jam. But she’s bland, and I’m thinking someone else could’ve played Caren a bit more feistier.
Unhinged is one of those randoms you catch on a streaming platform and enjoy – but are ultimately shaking your head by the time it finishes. It’s far-fetched, but hardcore. And the final showdown is brilliant if somewhat brief.
Definitely worth a watch.
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