By Chris Kavan - 08/20/20 at 08:18 PM CT
Well, it's been a long time since I had a weekend preview blog to write, going all the way back to March 11th to be exact. These Covid-19 times wiped out the Spring/Summer season, even though technically we're still in "summer" season, obviously this is far outside the norm. With theater chains slowly re-opening, with many restrictions in place, it remains to be seen if the remainder of the year can be salvaged. As it stands, Russell Crowe is here to get really, really mad in Unhinged and, for the romance-starved, we also have Words on Bathroom Walls. The road-rage thriller, like oh so many other films, has been delayed, but now it stands as the first test to see if movie-goers are interested in returning to theaters, even in limited capacity. There are a few other films of note on the horizon, including the oft-delayed New Mutants, Liam Neeson's Honest Thief and, the biggest film of note, Christopher Nolan's Tenet. But the real test begins this weekend and it will be very interesting to see how things play out.
Now, I know I'm going to have to stretch the definition of a "wide" release for this weekend, but desperate times and all that. Russell Crowe's road rage thriller has already scored a little over $5.5 million on the international front - not amazing, but good enough in these times. And technically the film has already released on a limited basis here in the U.S. (299 screens) and grossed a little over $500,000. That being said, I don't know if audiences are ready to return to theaters yet - and even doctors have warned against going to theaters right away. Still, the big chains are desperate for content and even with social distancing and the like in place, it will be interesting to see just how things play out. Unhinged reminds me of Falling Down - but much more violent, taking the current "toxic masculinity" to new levels. Crowe is a madman in the literal sense and when Rachel (Caren Pistorius) cuts him off while running late for work, she unwittingly becames his next target. But not just her - those closest to her as well. The film's supporting cast includes Jimmi Simpson, Gabriel Bateman, Anne Leighton, Lucy Faust and Austin P. McKenzie. It seems a bit dark for these times, but for theater-starved audiences, you could do much worse. I don't see this blazing a huge trail - this is more of a test, really, so we'll see how well-received it is - and whether people are willing to even show up to theaters at all.
If violent thrillers aren't your cup of tea, perhaps something a bit more grounded is up your alley. A teen romance with a mental health twist follows Adam (Charlie Plummer), who at first seems like typical, moody teen - but halfway through his senior year an incident in his chemistry class has him expelled - and diagnosed with a mental health condition. With hopes of becoming a chef, he finds himself enrolled at a Catholic academy to graduate where all he want to do is blend in the background and bury his illness. But an encounter with the fiercely intelligent Maya (Taylor Russell) offers an immediate connection and as their romance blooms, she breaks him out of his shell and become more than his diagnosis. A film filled with hope and love? It might be just what audiences need right now. The film boasts a nice cast as well with AnnaSophia Robb, Walton Goggins, Andy Garcia, Molly Parker and Devon Bostick helping round out the cast. As long as the film isn't bogged down by too sappy emotions and keeps things, well, more real, it could appeal to the younger crowd, and hopefully keep they away from Covid parties for once.
It's a brave new world out there - and one in which theaters are still probably not quite prepared for. Still, we have new movies in theaters, limited capacity as it stands, and we'll see if audiences are starved for content or still want to wait it out.
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