Unsane (2018) User Reviews

Divisive Dilemas.

[hitchcockthelegend · 6/10 · 27 March 2019]

Have to be honest, I had no idea this was filmed on an iPhone 7 or that it was directed by Steven Soderbergh. I was stuck for something to watch on cable the other night and I liked the sound of the plot premise. So unburdened by expectation of a searing horror classic I settled in to see what unfolds.

Plot has Claire Foy as Sawyer Valentini who inadvertently commits herself to a mental health institution. Once inside things being to unravel and the threat of her one time stalker now being even close to her opens up the book of terror - but is it real?

Firstly you have to say that the mental health authorities must have had kittens when they saw this, much of what is on screen is utterly ridiculous and paints the system in a damning light. Secondly you really have to jump on board with the improbability of it all, this really is made for dramatic entertainment purpose and not as a viable horror of the real world.

As a thriller it worked for me, the constant question of what is real or not keeps things on the slow burn. Either way, real or not, it's thought provoking enough to warrant staying till pics end. The psychological angle is pungent enough to say there's some thought in the writing, though this is undone by utter nonsense as things spiral into the impossible for the final quarter of film.

Foy is good value up front and the fulcrum of it all, while elsewhere good work comes from Nate Hoffman and it's nice to see Juno Temple in a spicy role. Ultimately this is no blood letting horror picture, and certainly it's no One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Girl Interrupted etc etc.

The iPhone experiment is a gimmick that works here due to the confines of the location for story, but as a genre piece of worth it is unlikely to have legs. However, even though I enjoyed this as a one time only viewing experience, I perfectly understand why it has become divisive. So for those who haven't seen it yet then it is advised you understand this is no terrifying thrill a minute piece. It's tricky to recommend with any sort of confidence, and thus I feel the internet ratings of about 6.5/10 is just about right. 6.5/10

Both unsettling and uneven

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 31 August 2018]

'Unsane' seemed to me like it had real potential to be a good film. It looked intriguing, it was interesting to see how it would fare being shot on an IPhone (though part of me was a little apprehensive, being concerned it would be handled amateurishly), the trailer looked great, like Claire Foy a lot and the idea was for me one of the best and most unique of the year.

On the most part, while the polarising critical reception is more than understandable, 'Unsane' works. It is an uneven film and should have been better than it was with the final third and ending being a let down. On the other hand, much of it was very well done with a terrific first half that showed so much promise. Am going to hold nothing about those who didn't like it, being one who agrees with a few of their criticisms.

Starting with what 'Unsane' does right, it surprisingly looks good. Was worried as to whether the IPhone technique would be done in an amateurish fashion but actually it was atmospheric and surprisingly tasteful, enhancing the already unsettling claustrophobia seen also in the setting. The music is haunting and wisely not constant as well as never intrusive. Soderburgh's direction is deliberate yet tight, letting the atmosphere speak for itself.

The first half is terrific, slow-burning but creepy, subtly suspenseful and sometimes quirky, blurring reality and delusions with plenty of unsettlement, panic, claustrophobia and thoughtful representation of a difficult subject. The cast are on top form, the best thing about 'Unsane' being Claire Foy, mixing fragility, unhinging, sarcasm, insincerity and also sincerity it is a spectacularly good performance of an complicated character that one is scared of but also in a way sympathetic to. It is easy to overlook the rest of the cast, but they are also very good playing against type, Joshua Leonard, Juno Temple and Jay Pharoah do great jobs.

However, it is a shame that the film changes tone in the final third in particular and it is really jarring and the quality is significantly inferior. The film works better as a psychological drama/horror, while it turns thriller, it becomes overblown, rushed and far fetched. The ending is a let down, too easily foreseeable, anti-climactic and far too conventional for a premise as unique as this one.

Some of the dialogue is on the ropy side and Matt Damon's cameo was out of place, unnecessary and just plain weird, reeking of self-indulgence.

Overall, worth seeing. Uneven but with a lot of great merits. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Plenty of Promise, but is ultimately a bit Unsatisfying

[Jared_Andrews · 6/10 · 31 March 2018]

With most of Steven Soderberg's movies, he tells stories in a way that makes viewers unsure of what exactly is going on. Unsane is like that. The title indicates that the main character might be insane but also might not be insane.

Well, it turns out the this movie has an excellent title because that's pretty accurate summation of the movie. A bit longer summation goes like this: the main character might be insane but also might not be insane but some people think she is insane but she makes some erratic choices so she cannot convince everyone that she's not insane but maybe she does that because she actually is insane.

Sawyer Valentini (a strikingly unhinged Claire Foy) seems normal enough at first glance. She works a steady financial analyst job at a bank. She has a loving relationship with her mother. She goes on Tinder dates. But she's troubled by someone from her past, a man who has been stalking her for the past two years. She has difficulty dealing with the stress, so she turns to medication and therapy to cope.

In her conversation with a therapist, she casually mentions that she's had suicidal thoughts in the past. The therapist exploits this casual mention and tricks Sawyer into signing a waiver voluntarily committing herself to 24 hours of observation at the clinic.

Once inside, things become increasingly frustrating for Sawyer and even more so for viewers. She lashes out violently multiple times and ignores the advice of one helpful patient recovering from an opioid addiction, Nate, (Jay Pharoah showing off impressive dramatic acting chops), which subsequently gives the staff reason to extend her stay an additional week. Her inability to control her temper makes viewers wonder if she really does belong there.

That's as much as I can reveal without introducing spoilers. I can say that movie is a bit of a slow burn early on. Then the action picks up in a big way.

The story veers in a different direction, which causes some problems because we miss backstory that would have tied the story together in a neater, more affecting way. As it stands, the movie has a lot going on, but no part feels fully developed. Foy's lead performance and Soderberg's filmmaking keeps the film watchable throughout, but ultimately, it all feels a little unsatisfying.

Highly experimental and inventive but iffy in its execution

[pere-25366 · 6/10 · 1 May 2019]

Steven Soderbergh's 2018 psychological-horror film Unsane (2018), shot entirely with the iPhone in just 10 days, is an interesting take on the genre. Centering around a woman who is involuntarily committed to a mental hospital, we constantly are in a state of questioning whether or not she is really as crazy as we are led to believe. The choice to film it on merely iPhone lends an incredibly unique look and feel to the story, often seeing people from POV shots and bizarre angles. Coupled with the ambient music, the film is incredibly atmospheric and invites you to see things from the perspective of Claire Foy's character. Unsettling, well-acted and uniquely directed but so-so in the execution of the story. Nonetheless, a cool experiment from Soderbergh.

Snatching Mediocrity from the jaws of Intrigue

[littlemankazoo · 6/10 · 5 April 2018]

There's a part of me that absolutely adores it when a filmmaker goes the experimental route and tries something that's never really been done before.

And while this isn't the first time this sort of filming technique has been used for a film, I had to say, I was rather intrigued when I was sitting down for "Unsane", the new film by Steve Soderbergh ('Ocean's Eleven', 'Contagion', 'Magic Mike').

To explain: 'Unsane' was entirely filmed on an iPhone 7 camera in only ten days, which is incredible in that it was made entirely in secrecy by a big name director such as Soderbergh. The budget also barely pokes over $1 million total. By all accounts, this is as INDIE as a big name director can get.

So you probably will start asking yourself: "How does it look?"

To me...I think the film would have been LESS interesting if it was filmed in the typical method of high quality digital cameras. I know I always use the term "nightmarish" to describe claustrophobic cinematography in films, but this film looks like a NIGHTMARE. Fluorescent lighting and angles look warped and distorted, as if our characters are living in a German expressionist film, close ups look terrifying as we see every emotional detail of these characters in sketchy quality that only a phone camera could really capture in full. The whole film looks like a fever dream, and unlike 'Tangerine' (The first feature film to be filmed on an iPhone), this film truly has a "reason" to be filmed in this style.

To me, the experiment Steve Soderbergh tested here WORKED. The cinematography is its own style, and when a film can define itself with that sort of technique, it has certainly succeeded.

Going hand-in-hand with this great cinematography is the surprising performance by Claire Foy, who is admittingly quite good in her role of a person you have to decide if you think is crazy or not crazy. She does have a few slip-ups where you can hear her British accent come out...but other than that, she is a convincing central character and I bought every emotion coming out of her.

So it probably sounds like I really enjoyed this film thus far, correct?

The problem is, I enjoyed the first TWO-THIRDS of this film. After that, I think this film absolutely falls apart and loses everything I thought it had going for it.

A certain sequence in the film that looks absolutely SPECTACULAR is really the last time I connected with the film before a certain plot detail and twist begins to make itself apparent. As it began to unfold, I thought "There's no way they'd go with something THIS stock and basic..."

Unfortunately, they do, and by the time the film is running-down its last 15-20 minutes, my intrigue had been sapped and I was left simply to watch a film that was going through the motions. A crime that films can commit is being "Bad", for sure, but a worse crime a film can commit is being "Boring". The third act of this film is guilty of exactly that. It's stock and went exactly as I predicted it would, which truly hurts.

And let us discuss THE ENDING, which I think may be one of the worst of the last few years, right alongside 'The Devil Inside', 'Skyline' or 'The Florida Project'. The ending is such a sloppy and slapdash piece of cinema that I really wonder WHY they even bothered to shoot it. It's boring, cliche, has yet to really make much sense to me since I saw it (I saw this film on Tuesday, by the way...), it looks TERRIBLE in comparison with the rest of the film, and leaves us on a freeze-frame shot that looked completely unplanned and clearly done as a way to say "Yep! That's the end!". While I could've seen something more developed working in a similar vein, this just felt awful and like a last-ditch effort to end the film in an 'unresolved' manner, which this film never had the course for after its third act. Simply awful.

In the end, I left this film feeling extremely disappointed, really. I was enjoying the film quite a bit up until a certain point, where everything just seemed to fall into the pits of the cliched and been-there-done-that. Perhaps it was partly my fault for expecting more out of a film that promised a unique look and story about sanity, but in the end, I can blame the film as well for squandering such an incredible opportunity to make an interesting psychological thriller/horror film with such a weak third act. It PAINS ME that this film couldn't be good all the way through.

...THAT SAID...I really cannot say enough about the cinematography in this film. Steve Soderbergh's work in this (Yes, he directed AND filmed this!) looks absolutely stellar, even for an iPhone camera, and makes it worth seeing just for curiosity's sake alone. I feel it works far better than it did for 'Tangerine', and clicks with me on a level that it puts you in the perspective of our protagonist, who is struggling with her sanity in a place that is a proverbial nightmare. The film looks like a bad dream, and in the end, that appealed to me on that level of loving to see experimenting in film.

It's just a shame that the intriguing experimentation meant a sacrifice for an intriguing story and third act. This could have been a far better film than it was. In the end, it lands somewhere in the middle for me...though I REALLY wish it didn't...

Soderberg's paranoia experiment is a success.

[pwrelives · 7/10 · 2 February 2019]

Shot completely with IPhone 7plus in 4k, steven soderberg's experimental b-movie is a real, slow and annoying psychological gesture throughout.

Eerie cinematography, unsettling atmosphere and curious characterizations take on U.S Psychiatric institutions deception makes it one of those crazy movies.

A gripping thriller that expertly puts you in the shoes of its protagonist.

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 8/10 · 29 March 2018]

While its grammatically-challenged title is just as likely to test your sanity as anything in the film itself (perhaps by design, I'll add), Steven Soderbergh's second return from retirement seeks to 'change the game' and prove that you don't need a proper camera or fancy lighting to make a film, just an iPhone, a decent script, a competent cast and crew and, most importantly, the will, time, money and passion to do it all. Luckily, 'Unsane (2018)' has all that in spades. It could easily pass for something shot on one of those fancy cameras and actually has a tangible and, appropriately, an almost 'followed-around-with-a-camera' stalker vibe to it. It's a wonderfully frustrating, rewardingly claustrophobic and tensely insular experience that sticks you right in the slightly off-kilter head of its protagonist and does a great job of making you feel exactly the way she does at every moment. The pace is almost perfect, as we're dealt a number of blows every time we begin to get comfortable in each new situation, and the slow descent from slightly strange to straight-up sinister is a palpable and uncomfortable one. The fact that the sanity of the hero is called into question is a great move, though it isn't pushed quite as far as it perhaps could have been, and it keeps you unsure about everything you see. The nods back to classic seventies horror, including a soundtrack reminiscent of 'Halloween (1978)', were appreciated as well. I was constantly on the edge of my seat throughout this gripping, agitating, intriguing and generally very entertaining thriller. 8/10

She's not crazy, she's just a little unwell...

[donaldricco · 8/10 · 29 June 2018]

I guess the moral of this story is: be careful what you say in therapy! This is a good movie, even if some of the details are a little shady or generous in their application. Claire Foy gives a strong performance, and there is just enough haziness to make you wonder if she is, or isn't, sane. And she's got a great name:Sawyer Valentini! Good ending too! Terrible, terrible music, but a good, creepy 98 minutes!

ONE TIME WATCH

[akshaygautam5 · 6/10 · 29 January 2019]

Movie is good...at some times it engross you totally , and sometimes irritating..but surely there are wow moments and scenes and especially from the lead actress<She has justified her role and ofcourse this movie will give u chills and if you are physcotic movie fans...

Creepy, brilliantly psychological

[gregstowe · 7/10 · 25 October 2020]

The plot is messed up and actually thrilling. The effects when she's drugged are great, the characters are well built. I like that it's not over the top with each major occrance in the plot, like someone important low-key gets murdered but it's subtle, we know it's happened but it's like no biggie but it actually would be in reality. All round trippy and entertaining

Insane in the Iphone

[filmexperienced · 6/10 · 23 January 2019]

Boasting a committed (ho-ho) performance from Claire Foy, my favourite of hers after not quite connecting with her turns in Breathe or First Man, Unsane does a functional if unspectacular job within its asylum-horror sub-genre. Indeed, some of the most frightening details come from the specifics of how Sawyer Valentini - memorably named - ends up in her predicament, and the unspoken implication that this could be happening to many more people as we speak. Confounding at least my expectations by maintaining a solid grip on reality that similar pictures often struggle to resist - this is reinforced by the cinematography. Shot almost entirely on presumably specially lensed and souped up Iphone 7s, you'd be hard pressed to tell versus standard digital photography, giving a utilitarian beauty. Between Soderbergh's work here and Sean Baker's Tangerine, it gives a tantalising sense that any of us could pick up our phones and make a movie - though we just wouldn't have their experience, eye or creativity. Or maybe I should speak for myself. One final note, Joshua Leonard, admirably creepy, Amy Irving, nicely maternal, and Juno Temple - 100% irritating despite a sterling track record with me (Killer Joe, Kaboom as examples) to this point.

Innovative Cinematography, But the Story/Characters/Dialogue is Lacking

[themovieparadise · 6/10 · 5 April 2018]

Up until I saw it in theaters, I knew Unsane exclusively as the movie that was shot on an iPhone. I knew it was directed by Steven Soderbergh, who's given us such films as Ocean's Eleven and Logan Lucky. However, I knew nothing about the plot or really what kind of genre of film this was. All I knew was that it had been filmed on an iPhone. While that's certainly interesting, and I was definitely curious to see how it would look on the big screen, I couldn't help but think of it exclusively as a gimmick. I sounded like Unsane was saying, "Hey guys, we're the movie that was filmed on an iPhone! Be sure to check us out because that's cool!". That's not a good thing for a movie to do, so that did make me a little hesitant going into the film. However, surprisingly enough, the fact that this movie was filmed on an iPhone actually enhances it, to the point where the same effect could not have been captured on a regular camera. While it does lack a bit in story, and there are some wooden performances and some cheesy dialogue, the camera work done by Soderbergh himself is incredible, especially all the innovative ways he uses the iPhone to shoot a completely unique-looking movie...

Not a thriller, barely a movie

[veronicafreyvert · 1/10 · 4 April 2018]

I expected this movie to be edgy and interesting; it was neither. The acting was amateurish and the plot was heavy-handed. It was supposed to be psychological thriller in which we are to figure out whether or not the protagonist is insane, but instead we are driven crazy by randomness of the plot. Too many characters are introduced that muddle the focus of the film, and zero get any sort of character development. Not even the main character shows any sort of arc or growth. Was expecting a Shelter Island-esque film--instead I got a movie filmed on an iPhone that seems to have been written by my fourteen year old son.

Different take on a psychological thriller

[Floated2 · 8/10 · 9 January 2019]

Unsane is another psychological thriller by director Steven Soderbergh. 2017 saw the director direct an under seen film in Logan Lucky and this film Unsane was quite a quick turn around.

Unsane is quite different than most current thrillers nowadays (which is a good thing). Having somewhat high expectations going into the film as heard many great things from critics regarding the film, as well as from the performance by lead Claire Foy.

The expectations were met and some more, as this film is very engaging and once the plot kicks in, it becomes entertaining and a thrilling tense ride. Starting with relatively a slow start, the pace becomes better as we see everything unvolving.

A lot of criticism from audiences seem to be the fact that the film was shot on an iPhone 7, though this isn't a problem in the sense some reviewers are making it sound. The film is very much focused, easy to follow and for sure watchable. Save for perhaps the first few scenes, where the quality is noticeable and somewhat amateurish looking, it gets better as the film passes.

Overall, the tension and suspense of Unsane warrants it a viewing. Quite an underrated film, in where this was not a success at the box office, and one thinks this film may be completely forgotten several years from now.

I thought the movie was entertaining. Lots of "OMG" moments

[joelsimmons-83642 · 7/10 · 20 June 2018]

For a low budget movie, it really kept my interest. The acting was really good. There was a lot of situation where it like......"yea right, thats not how this works", but its good for entertainment and progression of the movie. There were certain scenes that were kind of funny........like wow.......did that really just happen? Worth watching.

I did not like it ..

[sjalkarjadottir · 1/10 · 7 June 2018]

This movie features one of "those" protagonists that are annoying, incompetent and keep doing the wrong thing every time. She made me cringe all through the movie for doing everything wrong.

Most of the supporting cast is also rather abysmal with very few being tolerable (mostly because they have little screentime)

The plot is another part to get angry about. It makes no sense! "the room" or any episode of "Teletubbies" is philosophically deeper and more complex than this one.

To sum it up .. i disliked the plot, i hated the acting and i found the camera and overall cinematography quite revolting.

Hmmm, ok film but.....

[johnbutterfield · 6/10 · 29 April 2020]

Claire Foy with the wrong accent and why this?

Allegedly filmed on an iPhone 7, it's trying to be different for the sake of being different!

Good story, seen better from Soderburgh. Still worth a watch tho, but don't expect too much.

For some women this will re-awaken old trauma. For all others this is a superbly crafted thriller. A true nail-biter. Watch at your own risk. Highly recommend.

[mehobulls · 18 January 2021]

This was a classic Hitchcock style story that plays with the audiences' trust, perceptions, and senses. The camera works to disorient and adds to character development. The sickly color palette and florescent lighting is unsettling and makes you feel as uncomfortable as the characters trapped in the various environments. If you enjoy cerebral independent understated films by auteurs, you'll love this. If you want jump scare filled cliche popcorn mainstream movies dumbed down for the masses, you won't understand why this film is so impressive.

Suspense and intrigue

[mroyleevatt · 6/10 · 20 February 2019]

It's soderberg stylishness and Foy carries the story well, but just doesn't reach the heights of a classic. Well worth watching but I doubt you'll remember it in a few days.

One flew under the cuckoo's nest

[Vindelander · 6/10 · 21 January 2019]

A very weird film. Watchable if you've got no other options but story line is weak and the ending is so contrived. Matt Damon doesn't even get a mention in the credits though he has about 2 minutes of screen time. What's going on ?!

Clare Foy does her best but she's been in much better roles. Not a patch on films like One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest or Split.

The best film of Berlinale was shot on an iPhone!

[littlelarry-54989 · 9/10 · 27 February 2018]

I really didn't know what to expect from Unsane. It was being talked about by everyone at the Berlinale film festival as 'the iPhone film', but as this was Steven Soderbergh - needless to say I was incredibly intrigued and knew there must be more to it than the fact it was shot on an iPhone.

The press conference was fascinating. In short the benefits of shooting on an iPhone greatly outweighed the few cons according to Soderbergh. He used the iPhone app FiLMiC Pro to shoot Unsane, as this allowed him complete manual control over the shot on par with high end cinema cameras (manual focus, exposure, white balance, LOG etc). For hard to reach shots where he couldn't see the screen - he used an app called FiLMiC Remote to wirelessly control his iPhone from another device on set. He described the process as liberating and wished he had access to this technology when he was starting out at age 15. He described the space between creative impulse and technical execution as being almost non-existent thanks to the iPhone.

The actors commented on how much they loved moving so quickly and not having the 'filmmaking machine' slow things down on set, allowing them to remain in character and creative.

Well now for the actual film... in short it was INCREDIBLE. After the first 2 minutes you completely forget it was shot on an iPhone. If you went into the theatre unaware of the fact it was shot on a smartphone you wouldn't even know. People need to stop calling this 'the iPhone film'. It is a great film that looks beautiful (in a dark and grungy way perfect for the story) that happens to be shot on an iPhone. Exciting times for new filmmakers just starting out for sure.

Claire Foy is just incredible and gives a raw performance that doesn't let up. I was never a huge fan of hers before - but am now (going to give The Crown another go).

There is a real sense of panic and claustrophobia thanks to the use of wide lenses and close proximity to the actors that probably is in large part due to the fact it was shot on a smartphone. You really feel like you are thrust into the very middle of this nightmare - so kudos to Soderbergh for that.

I've seen some reviews that called Unsane 'silly' - but I think some critics want it to be something it isn't. This is genre filmmaking at its very best - and blast to watch and a reminder that Soderbergh is a master of his trade and can effortlessly move between genres.

Go watch it with a group of friends. Don't let the fact that it was shot on iPhone put you off - you won't notice once you're sucked in, and you'll be inspired to know you can create a filmic masterpiece with what is in your pocket. This is one of my favourite Soderbergh films - and my fav of the Berlinale.

Moderatelty interesting schlock

[eonbluedan-1 · 6/10 · 22 March 2018]

Is she or isn't she, they ask? Frustratingly, the answer is too obvious too quickly, but it does not appear to be the point.

A seasoned director with a catalogue of work that covers almost every genre, nobody can ever say Steven Soderbergh isn't an exciting, experimental artist. of course, with that comes an unpredictability. I have loved and occasionally loathed the man's output, but here we have a strange beast, a film that tiptoes precariously across the tightrope that separates the two camps. Not actually the first film to put iphone to use, but certainly the first to receive a major release, Soderbergh is clearly keen to explore the technical possibilities, the framing and use of light adding a compelling b-movie grit to proceedings. Claire Foy leads with predictable conviction as a woman who is actually less likable that one might have assumed, which is of course intended.

In fact, everything is intended; nothing here isn't part of Soderbergh's plan, including, we must assume, the gaping plot holes and over-egging of the situation, so as to turn the film into an hysteric, hyperbolic drama, whose intention becomes increasingly socially conscious rather than realistically plausible. Dare I say, a metaphor? This is admirable, but it must be said the lack of realism does tend to reduce the possibility for engagement or tension, and his economical, efficient storytelling here gets, at times, a bit too economical and efficient for its own good, leaving the viewer oddly uninvolved in some pretty dark story points. Where the intense style and distance may not be a problem in the hands of the likes of Aronofsky or Lanthamos respectively, with whom such business comes with the territory, it is more of an issue when we are being asked to fully empathise with real world characters like Soderbergh's.

He's done better, and he's done worse. It's a reasonable effort, with an important intention, but not enough sticks to elevate it beyond b-movie schlock.

A Little Bit Stupid

[onexmillion · 3/10 · 30 May 2018]

Once you get over terrible, amateur camera work (why they filmed it on a phone is beyond me), you're left hoping for a psychological thriller (you might expect that as it's based in a mental institution) with a few twists and turns.

But nope, it's just an angry woman stuck in some sort of ward where patients seemingly do whatever they want with hardly any staff around.

Lot's of stupid incidents where even as a non-medical person seemed ludicrous.

Supposedly a horror / thriller, yet wasn't scary and too stupid in places to make a tense atmosphere.

Mainly though, this film should set future examples of why NOT TO USE A PHONE TO FILM A MOVIE - cause it looks crap.

movie about the corrupted mental hospitals

[ajstuns · 8/10 · 18 July 2018]

This is the best soderberg movie i ha d ever seen. it tells how all these corrupted mental hospitals around the world works. never mind the negative reviews put by mental hospital employees or psychologists. trust me, the movie is a must watch. the only problem in the movie is it's unnecessary action sequences at the end.

You know when Soderbergh goes experimental, your in for something fun. Unsane is just that

[RforFilm · 7/10 · 23 March 2018]

For people that have never been a patient at a hospital, the idea of surrounding yourself to these places can be downright scary. A lot of that steams from the fact that your there to recover from whatever medical episode your suffering from and that your trusting yourselves to people that are there to care for you. While it's supposed to be comforting, the idea that these doctors and nurses and even other patients will turn on you in an isolated environment can seem horrifying. I can admit that I too have a fear of hospitals, given to memories I've acquired at a young age from my only stay.

Naturally, thrillers and horror stories of hospitals is nothing new. In fact, one of my favorite movies is One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which explores how society sees and defines "insanity". When I heard that Steven Soderbergh was going to tell his own story, I was excited. I became more curious when I heard that this was all being shot on an IPhone. I like filmmakers that continue to explore the craft even when they become famous. Guys like him, James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez are your filmmakers "filmmaker". Let's see if this pays off in Unsane.

A young woman Sawyer Valintini (played by Claire Foy) is trying to get her life in motion with a job, apartment and social life. But she had been the recent victim of a stalker. This man, David Strine (played by Joshua Leonard) had known her through a hospice service she was volunteering for and remains determined to be with her. To try and get some peace of mind, Sawyer goes to see an therapist and agrees to sign up for a "behavioral program". It's not until she's lead to a room and changed into a hospital gown in which she realizes she had signed herself to be involuntary committed.

Her attempts to show she's not crazy are ignored by the nurses, doctors, and patients. Even when she gets in contact with her mother Angela (played by Amy Irving) don't help as the police and lawyers reveal little they can do until Sawyer runs through her seven day contract. To make matters worse, when she's receiving her medication, she sees' that the staff member dispensing it is her stalker David. Again, her complaints do little as she realizes she'll have to outwit him, the doctors and other patients if she want's to make it out safely.

As far as I'm concerned, Unsane is Steven Soderbergh's example of a fun B movie. A similar movie, Shutter Island, had a lot of psychological exploration on what was real and what wasn't. Unsane doesn't offer much surprise, but is still an entertaining thriller of trying to survive. A lot of that is on Claire Foy, who carries the burden of someone with a dark past on her shoulders, which puts her character into a deeper hole when trying to climb out. She's remains consistently interesting and makes us want to see just how she'll confront her demons.

As for how the film is shot, I'll admit that I've seen more cinematic-looking movies that were made with IPhones. Soderbergh is a fascinating artist who is clearly always trying. The experiment works fine enough for the sake of the films story. Because it's clear he's shooting on location and is allowing for the lighting to remain (mostly) natural, it gives off a feeling of a documentary being shot in secret. Does this mean he should switch to IPhones? Perhaps if he can learn to better craft his images for a non-thriller, maybe. But knowing him, that's rarely a guarantee.

Like I said before, Unsane doesn't try to blur the lines of sanity that often. Though this could have been a deeper exploration into this young woman's mind, the script instead makes this a story of confronting a stalker and unfair hospital practices. Because of that, you have to go in knowing that this was made to be entertaining rather complex. I think that a lot of people will end up overlooking the IPhone cinematography in favor of getting sucked into this thriller. I did, and it's remarkable to see that a director isn't afraid to go this small.

I'll give this seven IPhone lenses out of ten. Unsane was fun; just simple thrilling fun. This is proof that if your actor is strong enough, they can carry any kind of project, even it was made with one dollar instead of a hundred million.