Review of Unsane (2018) by Mmadnessgames — 14 Jun 2018

Starts of great... I have been in these sort of clinics (not quite as bad) and I was amazed how indifferent and disinterested the staff were towards the mentally ill. They make very little effort to help people.

Having said that, the film goes too far. The protagonist's admission to the clinic is unbelievable. The film makers have amplified the reality of these places, for dramatic effect... I'd have preferred it if it was a bit more subtle.

The first half of the film is much better than the second half. When we didn't know if David Stine and George Shaw were the same person, there was more to play with... The moment he appeared outside the hospital at the mother's hotel room, the film moved from is-she-crazy to she-isn't-crazy-but-he-is.

I get that they filmed it on an iPhone, which is very impressive, but (as a result) the basement / isolation ward scenes don't work very well. They didn't use a set. It was an actual padded room and it shows. The acting and directing suffer in these scenes.

I really enjoyed the film, despite these criticisms. The first half is great. The second half is okay.