UNHINGED

The theaters are open again and we're welcomed back with Russell Crowe, who's having a bad day! Crowe stars as Tom Cooper (although he's credited as "The Man"), who has nothing left to live for, has mental problems, abuses prescription medication, and who wants to inflict pain and punishment before going out in a blaze of glory. The film starts out without any dialogue, which is very powerful. We see Crowe commit his first act of violence, displaying his apathy and brutality, that sets the tone for the rest of the film (this is definitely not a man to be trifled with). It hooks you in before introducing the rest of the trio: Rachel (played by Caren Pistorius) and her son Kyle (Gabriel Bateman). What starts out as a simple misunderstanding, that could have been diffused, quickly turns in to a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. Yes, there is a bit of suspension of disbelief, but it's still a fun ride. The film and story start out good for the first 30-45 minutes, but about three quarters in, it starts to lose air and the ending feels rushed. Crowe really shines in this, from his accent, to the weight he had to put on for the film (hopefully he put weight on for the film and this isn't just "all natural Russell Crowe), to the way this harkins to 1993's FALLING DOWN with Michael Douglas. I will also give credit to Caren Pistorius as she played a passable Rachel. A woman who's likewise down on her luck as a single mother, trying to provide for her child, and is now being stalked by a mad man. Two characters in somewhat similar situations who choose to deal with their frustrations and angry in decisively different ways. 5.5/10