Unhinged (2020 film) explained

Unhinged
Director:Derrick Borte
Producer:
Music:David Buckley
Cinematography:Brendan Galvin
Editing:
Studio:
  • Burek Films
Distributor:Solstice Studios
Runtime:93 minutes[1]
Country:United States
Language:English
Budget:$33 million
Gross:$44.3 million[2]

Unhinged is a 2020 American action thriller film[3] [4] [5] directed by Derrick Borte, from a screenplay by Carl Ellsworth. The film stars Russell Crowe, Caren Pistorius, Gabriel Bateman, Jimmi Simpson, and Austin P. McKenzie. It tells the story of a woman who, while on her way to drop her son off at school, is fired by a client over the phone in rush hour traffic, but is then terrorized by a violent and vengeance-obsessed stranger, following a hostile verbal altercation with him at a traffic light. This leads to the rest of the day involving the stranger targeting the woman's family and friends as revenge.

Unhinged was theatrically released by Solstice Studios in Germany on July 16, 2020, and in the United States on August 21, 2020. The film was notable for being the first wide theatrical release in several months, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and grossed $44 million worldwide. It received mixed reviews from critics, who praised Crowe's performance, but felt that the film did not take full advantage of its thrilling premise.

Plot

On a rainy night, a vengeful psychopath, Tom Cooper, is parked outside of his ex-wife's house. He removes his wedding ring and then lights a match, staring blankly at it, and a bottle of hydrocodone. Tom grabs a hammer and a tank of gasoline and breaks into the house and kills her and her boyfriend, and sets the house on fire. It explodes as he drives away, expressionless.

The following morning, Rachel Flynn, a newly divorced single mother, drives her son Kyle to school during rush hour traffic. As she is running late to work, one of her clients fires her over the phone. She then honks at Tom's pickup truck, which is blocking traffic at a green light. He soon catches up to Rachel and tries to apologize, then asks for an apology in return, saying he wants to "hit reset", and that "people should apologize for anything they do wrong". The exchange escalates when Rachel tells him that she has nothing to apologize for. In return, Tom promises to teach her "what it means to have a bad day". At the end of the road, Tom drives in front of Rachel and stops. He then drives away. Unsettled, she calls her friend Andy, who is also her divorce lawyer, and arranges to meet him at a diner.

Tom somehow tracks Rachel to a gas station and switches his phone with hers while she is inside paying for her gas. She sees him outside and gets help from a customer who accompanies her back to her car. The customer gets Tom's license plate number but is killed not when Tom rams him with his truck, but after another car hits him. A more intense chase ensues, during which Tom shows Rachel that he has her phone. He uses her daily planner to locate Andy at the diner. Before she can warn Andy, Tom beats and stabs him to death in front of everyone, and is filmed by a customer. Tom tells Rachel over the phone that she must choose another one of her contacts to die next. When he suggests her ex-husband, her mother, or her son, she names the client who fired her, then calls the police, who respond to the client's home while Rachel is racing to her son's school.

However, Tom has already arrived at Rachel's home, where her brother Fred and his fiancée Mary are living. Tom confronts him, holding Mary hostage, before repeatedly pushing her into Fred's knife, killing her. He then ties Fred to a chair and tells Rachel over the phone that she has three minutes to go into the school, get Kyle, and drive away, or he will kill Fred, as he wants him to read a letter about how Rachel is a liar. Rachel desperately demands that the principal release Kyle. She gets him and drives away. When a police officer arrives at Rachel’s house, Tom sets Fred on fire. The cop shoots Tom in the shoulder and tries to put the fire out, but Tom escapes and catches up to Rachel and Kyle on a highway. They use a GPS app on her tablet to find out that Tom is in a minivan (it is indicated he killed someone for it), and is directly in front of them. When they attempt to alert a nearby police officer, Tom rams his car, causing a massive multi-vehicle car accident.

Tom pursues Rachel to her mother's house where Kyle triggers a silent alarm and hides. Rachel rams the van that Tom is driving, flipping the vehicle, but he gets out and attacks Rachel, then enters the house in search of Kyle, intent on killing him next. As he is about to walk back outside, Kyle inadvertently alerts Tom to his hiding place upstairs. Rachel comes to and enters the house in an attempt to protect Kyle, but Tom finds her and they struggle violently. When Tom begins to strangle Kyle, Rachel stabs Tom in the eye with a pair of scissors, finally killing him.

The police arrive and inform Rachel that Fred survived the attack. Rachel and Kyle leave to see Fred at the hospital. As they drive away, a car cuts Rachel off and she stops herself from honking at the angry driver. Kyle observes this and says, "Good choice." They drive away as the sun sets.

Production

Principal photography took place in the summer of 2019 in Kenner and New Orleans, Louisiana. Production was completed in September 2019.[6] [7] [8]

Release

Unhinged was originally scheduled to be released on August 28, 2020, before being pushed back to September 4.[9] [10] In May 2020, its release was moved up to July 1, 2020, in order to "likely be the first to test the waters as theaters try to rebound" from the COVID-19 pandemic.[11] The date was later pushed back to July 10, then July 31, and, on July 23, the film was again delayed, this time to August 21, 2020.[12]

The film began a premium video on demand release on October 20, 61 days after opening in theaters. Normally if distributors put a film on VOD before the 75-day window, theaters will stop showing it; however, given the pandemic, exhibitors felt it "remains a welcome addition to a limited release schedule".[13]

The film began an international release on July 16 in Germany, and then on July 31 in the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, Asia, and Latin America. The film was released in Ecuador on August 6,[14] and by VVS Films in Canada on August 14, 2020.[15]

Home media

Unhinged was released on 4K Blu-ray in Germany on November 27, 2020[16] and on Blu-ray and DVD in the United Kingdom on November 23, 2020.[17] [18]

Reception

Box office

Unhinged grossed $20.8 million in the United States and Canada, and $23.5 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $44.3 million.[2]

In its opening weekend in Canada, the film made $601,032 from 299 theaters.[19] Playing in both the United States and Canada the following weekend, the film grossed $1.4 million from 1,823 theaters on its first day, and went on to debut to $4 million over the weekend; 71% of the audience was over the age of 25, with 56% being male. It was the first film with a weekend gross of over $1 million since Onward in March, and despite theater chains reopening some locations the top-five grossing venues were all drive-ins. Deadline Hollywood noted the increase of ticket sales fromFriday to Saturday was likely an indication of audience interest moving forward, while The Hollywood Reporter called the film's debut a win, and said studio executives were "pleased by the results."[20] [21] Playing in 2,331 theaters the following weekend, the film made $2.8 million (a drop of 35%), finishing second behind newcomer The New Mutants.[22] In its third, fourth, fifth weekends of release in the U.S. the film made $1.7 million, $1.5 million, and $1.3 million, respectively, with drive-in theaters remaining its top venues.[23] [24] [25]

Unhinged grossed $251,849 from 380 theaters in its German debut, slightly below expectations but finishing in first place.[26] In its second weekend the film made $201,655 from 438 theaters for a 12-day total in the country of $530,572.[27] In the film's United Kingdom debut, it grossed $230,000 (£174,901) from 250 theaters, becoming the first film to make over £100,000 in the country since the re-opening.[28] By its third week of release, beginning August 7, Unhinged was the top film in six of about 50 countries, and had a running international gross of $5.41 million. Its top markets at the time were Australia ($1.24 million total gross), Germany ($877,000), the Netherlands ($597,000), the United Kingdom ($575,000), New Zealand ($193,000), and Russia ($124,000).[29] It continued to hold the top spot in the UK and Australia the following weekend, with a global running total of $7.7 million.[30]

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Unhinged holds an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average score of . The website's critics consensus reads, "Russell Crowe makes for a compulsively watchable villain, but Unhinged lacks enough intelligence or depth to get sufficient mileage out of its pulpy premise."[31] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 40 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[32]

Guy Lodge of Variety said the film "delivers exactly the nasty B-movie thrills you expect," and wrote, "The carnage is the point here, not any of the reasoning behind it, and Borte and Crowe bring it to a suitably frothing, furious head."[33] Writing for CTV News, Richard Crouse gave the film two stars and specified, "Unhinged distinguishes itself by keeping the pedal to the metal without providing anything new in the way of thrills. As a study of an emasculated man seeking revenge it brings to mind Falling Down, Michael Douglas' 1993 black comedy, except Unhinged is all darkness and no comedy."[34]

Writing for IndieWire, Kaleem Aftab gave the film a "D" and said, "For a film so reliant on the telephone, it's probably not a surprise that Crowe dials in his performance. Dressed heavy-set, Crowe is all grimaces and frowns in disgust at everything around him. His only emotional note is all ANGRY, resulting in a parody of his own performances. It's Crowe on overdrive, and it's horrible."[35]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: UNHINGED (15). British Board of Film Classification. July 25, 2021. July 25, 2021. July 28, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200728152651/https://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/unhinged-film. live.
  2. 10059518. Unhinged (2020). March 7, 2021. March 7, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210307214000/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt10059518/. live.
  3. Web site: Russell Crowe Has a Message for Moviegoers Before 'Unhinged': 'I'm Not F***ing with You. IndieWire. 16 August 2020. Rookie distributor Solstice Studios’ flagship film has picked up more than $5 million and to get domestic moviegoers excited about the action thriller (which has mediocre reviews), star Russell Crowe has shared a series of tongue-in-cheek ominous video messages on Twitter.. 2020-11-02. 2020-09-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20200927015126/https://www.indiewire.com/2020/08/russell-crowe-unhinged-psas-1234580292/. live.
  4. Web site: 'Unhinged' Review: Russell Crowe is a nasty piece of work in brutal road rage thriller. The Victoria Advocate. 18 August 2020. Russell Crowe is known simply as “The Man” in the new action-suspense film “Unhinged” as the Academy Award-winning actor delivers a performance that’s evil personified.. 2020-11-02. 2020-12-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20201204233210/https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/blogs/staff/flix/unhinged-review-russell-crowe-is-a-nasty-piece-of-work-in-brutal-road-rage-thriller/article_c9af3236-e169-11ea-9289-37da55a167a3.html. live.
  5. Web site: 'Unhinged' Sees Increased Business On Saturday For $4M Opening As Exhibition Turns Lights Back On. Deadline Hollywood. Solstice Studios braved the continuing pandemic and assisted the major exhibition circuits to reopen this weekend in the US with their Russell Crowe road rage action movie Unhinged.. 2020-08-22. 2020-08-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20200822171900/https://deadline.com/2020/08/unhinged-slowly-fastening-domestic-b-o-back-together-with-1-4m-friday-in-marketplace-where-ca-ny-are-still-largely-closed-1203019191/. live.
  6. Web site: Russell Crowe Stars as an Angry Driver in First Look at 'Unhinged'. August 23, 2019. May 12, 2020. Variety. April 3, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200403032739/https://variety.com/2019/film/news/russell-crowe-unhinged-solstice-studios-1203312049/. live.
  7. Web site: Mike. Scott. Russell Crowe to film road-rage thriller 'Unhinged' in New Orleans. June 17, 2019. The Times-Picayune, The New Orleans Advocate. May 24, 2020. February 7, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200207000434/https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/article_1ac7eb00-cae2-5e84-8f9a-80cebfdf9699.html. live.
  8. Web site: Dave. McNary. Russell Crowe to Star in Road-Rage Thriller 'Unhinged'. May 10, 2019. Variety. May 24, 2020. March 8, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200308104222/https://variety.com/2019/film/news/cannes-film-festival-russell-crowe-thriller-unhinged-1203211678/. live.
  9. Web site: John . Squires . Russell Crowe-Starring Road Rage Thriller 'Unhinged' Speeding Our Way Summer 2020 . September 16, 2019 . Bloody Disgusting . May 24, 2020 . May 24, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200524014001/https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3584057/russell-crowe-starring-road-rage-thriller-unhinged-speeding-way-summer-2020/ . live .
  10. News: Fleming . Mike Jr. . Shari Hardison Named Solstice Studios Head Of U.S. Distribution; Russell Crowe Road Rage Thriller 'Unhinged' Set As First Release For August 28, 2020 . September 12, 2019 . Deadline . May 24, 2020 . July 9, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200709081925/https://deadline.com/2019/09/shari-hardison-solstice-studios-head-u-s-distribution-first-film-russell-crowe-unhinged-opens-august-28-2020-1202732603/ . live .
  11. Web site: Solstice Studios' Russell Crowe Road Rage Thriller 'Unhinged' To Be First Film Back In Movie Theaters July 1 . Mike Jr.. Fleming. Deadline Hollywood. May 12, 2020. May 12, 2020. May 12, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200512223738/https://deadline.com/2020/05/russell-crowe-road-rage-unhinged-first-movie-reopen-theaters-july-1-solstice-studios-1202932291/. live.
  12. Web site: 'Unhinged' Sets August Release In Wake Of 'Tenet's Labor Day Weekend Plan. Deadline Hollywood. July 27, 2020. July 27, 2020. June 12, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200612233051/https://deadline.com/2020/06/unhinged-redated-to-july-10-russell-crowe-1202958322/. live.
  13. News: October 21, 2020. Brueggemann. Tom. As Los Angeles-Adjacent Theaters Close Again, Exhibitor Hopes Remain Pinned to 'Wonder Woman 1984'. IndieWire. October 24, 2020. October 31, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201031234836/https://www.indiewire.com/2020/10/los-angeles-adjacent-theaters-close-again-exhibitor-hopes-wonder-woman-1984-1234594199/. live.
  14. Web site: 'Unhinged': Russell Crowe Road Rage Pic Gears Up For Global Release As Cinemas Re-Open. Deadline Hollywood. Nancy. Tartaglione. June 23, 2020. June 23, 2020 . June 24, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200624134947/https://deadline.com/2020/06/unhinged-global-release-russell-crowe-solstice-studios-1202967310/. live.
  15. Web site: Unhinged . https://web.archive.org/web/20200813023426/https://vvs.ca/movie/vvs3124-unhinged/. 13 August 2020. VVS Films. live.
  16. Web site: Unhinged 4K Blu-ray. Blu-ray.com.
  17. Web site: Unhinged Blu-ray. Blu-ray.com. August 5, 2020. December 4, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201204233236/https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Unhinged-Blu-ray/273791/. live.
  18. Web site: Unhinged Release Date, News & Reviews - Releases.com.
  19. News: 'Sponge On The Run' & 'Unhinged' Kick Off Domestic Weekend Box Office In Canada – Sunday. Anthony. D'Alessandro. Deadline Hollywood. August 16, 2020. August 16, 2020. August 16, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200816152651/https://deadline.com/2020/08/sponge-on-the-run-unhinged-kick-off-domestic-weekend-box-office-in-canada-sunday-1203014611/. live.
  20. News: 'Unhinged' Sees Increased Business On Saturday For $4M Opening As Exhibition Turns Lights Back On. Anthony. D'Alessandro. Deadline Hollywood. August 22, 2020. August 23, 2020. August 23, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200823010524/https://deadline.com/2020/08/unhinged-slowly-fastening-domestic-b-o-back-together-with-1-4m-friday-in-marketplace-where-ca-ny-are-still-largely-closed-1203019191/. live.
  21. News: 'Unhinged' Scores $4M Opening in Win for Box Office Revival. Pamela. McClintock. The Hollywood Reporter. August 23, 2020. August 23, 2020. August 23, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200823154252/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/unhinged-scores-4m-opening-in-win-for-box-office-revival. live.
  22. News: D'Alessandro. Anthony. August 28, 2020 . 'New Mutants' Secures $7M At Weekend Box Office Where Only 62% Of All Cinemas Are Open . . August 30, 2020 . August 29, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200829222719/https://deadline.com/2020/08/new-mutants-opening-weekend-box-office-coronavirus-1203025795/ . live .
  23. Web site: Mendelson . Scott . September 6, 2020 . Box Office: 'Mulan' Nabs $6M Overseas As 'Bill & Ted' Rules VOD . . September 6, 2020 . September 6, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200906163114/https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2020/09/06/movies-box-office-weekend-mulan-disney-bill-and-ted-keanu-reeves-x-men-new-mutants-unhinged-russell-crowe/#22810cdb100d . live .
  24. Web site: D'Alessandro . Anthony . September 13, 2020 . 'Tenet' Raises To $200M+ Worldwide With Domestic Near $30M In Marketplace Still Slowed By Pandemic . . September 13, 2020 . September 13, 2020 . https://archive.today/20200913164953/https://deadline.com/2020/09/tenet-second-weekend-box-office-broken-hearts-gallery-after-we-collided-1234575952/ . live .
  25. Web site: D'Alessandro . Anthony . September 20, 2020 . 'Tenet' Now At $36M+ In Domestic Marketplace Still Fractured By Pandemic . . September 20, 2020 . September 20, 2020 . https://archive.today/20200920172803/https://deadline.com/2020/09/tenet-weekend-box-office-infidel-jim-caviezel-cloudburst-1234580381/ . live .
  26. News: Tartaglione . Nancy . 'Peninsula' Thrills To $21M In Overseas Bow; 'Train To Busan' Sequel Helps Imax Score First $1M Global Weekend Since March – International Box Office . en . Deadline Hollywood . July 21, 2020 . July 21, 2020 . July 20, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200720195939/https://deadline.com/2020/07/peninsula-international-box-office-imax-korea-record-openings-coronavirus-1202989265/ . live .
  27. News: Kay . Jeremy . 'Unhinged' set for August US release, crosses $500,000 in Germany . en . . July 27, 2020 . July 28, 2020 . July 28, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200728224545/https://www.screendaily.com/news/unhinged-set-for-august-us-release-crosses-500000-in-germany/5151895.article . live .
  28. News: Grater . Tom . 'Unhinged' Delivers $230K As UK Box Office Shows First Green Shoots . en . Deadline Hollywood . August 3, 2020 . August 3, 2020 . August 3, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200803121055/https://deadline.com/2020/08/unhinged-230k-uk-box-office-shows-first-green-shoots-1203002144/ . live .
  29. News: Tartaglione . Nancy . International Box Office: Fresh Offerings Build Momentum To Signal Brighter Future Ahead . en . Deadline Hollywood . August 11, 2020 . August 11, 2020 . August 11, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200811075427/https://deadline.com/2020/07/peninsula-international-box-office-imax-korea-record-openings-coronavirus-1202989265/ . live .
  30. News: 'The Eight Hundred' Coming On Strong In China Previews, Tops $20M – International Box Office . Nancy . Tartaglione . . August 19, 2020 . August 19, 2020 . August 19, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200819140335/https://deadline.com/2020/08/international-box-office-the-eight-hundred-china-harry-potter-i-still-believe-unhinged-1203016155/ . live .
  31. Unhinged (2020). . m. . October 23, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201023032904/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/unhinged_2020. live.
  32. Unhinged (2020) . unhinged . movie . . August 28, 2020 . August 23, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200823005554/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/unhinged . live .
  33. Web site: July 30, 2020 . Lodge . Guy . Russell Crowe in 'Unhinged': Film Review . Variety . July 30, 2020 . December 4, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201204233210/https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/unhinged-review-russell-crowe-1234721119/ . live .
  34. Web site: Movie reviews: 'The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on The Run' is enjoyable for fans old and young . . Richard . Crouse . August 14, 2020 . August 14, 2020 . August 14, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200814122036/https://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/entertainment/movie-reviews-the-spongebob-movie-sponge-on-the-run-is-enjoyable-for-fans-old-and-young-1.5062648 . live .
  35. News: Aftab . Kaleem . 'Unhinged' Review: Russell Crowe Will Not Save Cinema with This Pointless Thriller . June 30, 2020 . . June 30, 2020 . August 1, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200801152147/https://www.indiewire.com/2020/07/unhinged-review-russell-crowe-1234577175/ . live .

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