'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

Another 'look at me' movie from Soderbergh. This was entirely filmed and edited on his Iphone 7, but that's not really an impressive feat when he has a huge budget and Hollywood clout behind him and the likes of Matt Damon agreeing to do tiny cameos. This was shot in ten days and it looks it, with Claire Foy carted off to a fake-feeling insane asylum and forced to confront a guy who's been stalking her. I was pleased to see Joshua Leonard again some twenty years after his BLAIR WITCH debut but this ends up full of the usual tedious heart-searching conversations and feels contrived throughout.

Sawyer Valentini (Claire Foy) lives an isolated modern life. She tries to get clinical help for being stalked over the years. Unwittingly, she signs on for a 24 hour psychiatric hold. The clinic is using the procedure to milk the insurance money. The situation gets even more harrowing when one of the orderlies turns out to be her stalker or her paranoia suddenly manifests itself.

I didn't realize that this is a Steven Soderbergh film. It would explain the Matt Damon cameo. It's a shocking bit part that took me out of the movie for a second. Soderbergh does not get a pass here. I have a few issues. It would help if the stalking is set up right from the start. There are hints from that odd one night stand to the POV style camera work. He's obviously doing some skilled work but it would be better to straight up show it. The identity can still be hidden and her possible paranoia can still be maintained. The way it's done leaves the film disjointed and I wasn't prepared. The other issue is the clinic. At first, it confused me whether this is an evil institution and it's not until Nate's talk that it makes sense. There are really good things here and this could have been a great paranoid horror. It really doesn't make sense that David is already an employee before Sawyer shows up. It would be so much better if he's a new employee at the end of her 24 hours. At least, that would make a little more sense. Otherwise, these are solid actors in a compelling premise which doesn't quite work.