“Unmoored is a neat little psychological thriller that boasts an incredible performance from Mirja Turestedt that blows the mind.”
There are times when a film comes out of nowhere that takes your breath away. It is so unexpected that you can’t help but be floored by it. And I’m not talking about the Hollywood blockbusters. I’m referring to the smaller, lower-budget, independent movies that appear. Sadly, some are destined to head straight to streaming. But in the case of Unmoored, it fully deserves a cinematic release. Directed by Caroline Ingvarsson, with a screenplay by Michèle Marshall and based on the novel by Håkan Nesser, the film boasts an incredible leading performance from the actress Mirja Turestedt.
PREMISE
A Swedish TV presenter finally confronts her domineering husband about serious accusations made against him, causing her well-ordered life to unravel.
THOUGHTS
The film is in both Swedish and English from the start. But don’t let that put you off. No matter what language is spoken, the film grips you from the start. Anyone expecting a violent, bloody affair needs to look elsewhere. This is a classic psychological thriller, one that plays out in front of you as well as your mind. It is a slow burn as the layers of the story are unpeeled, giving us a little more information at a time before coming to a jarring climax. With an incredible cast featuring Thomas W. Gabrielsson as Magnus, Maria’s husband, and Kris Hitchen as Mark, a friendly, widowed father who befriends Maria during her time in England, the film moves up through the gears throughout.
THOMAS W. GABRIELSSON
Thomas W. Gabrielsson’s Magnus is completely unlikable throughout. After being accused of the rape of a young student, you’d expect him to hide away and feel either remorse or outrage for the accusation. Magnus, although he is this way at the beginning, is anything but. He is a tyrant, an overbearing, thoughtless man who is awful to his wife, Maria. He controls her at every turn, belittling her in front of his friends. Magnus even brings in a large dog to the family home to keep Maria ‘company’. We can see that this act is just another way he forces his will on his wife. That she bonds with the dog isn’t the point. His actions are not those of a loving husband. These are actions of a domineering and heartless man. Gabrielsson is brilliantly unlikeable as Magnus.
MIRJA TURESTEDT
Mirja Turestedt is a revelation as Maria. That can come as no surprise, considering the actress’s prowess as Monica Figuerola in The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest and the TV series that followed, Millennium. Here, though, she gives us a restrained, highly emotional performance as the downtrodden Maria. Even though she’s a successful TV presenter, off-screen, she’s completely dominated by Magnus. While she wants to holiday in England, Magnus wants them both to go to Morocco, something Maria has no option but to agree to. After visiting their friends in Poland, the pair begin their journey to Morocco, only for an event to occur that sees Maria head to England with the dog.
From here, the mystery deepens as Maria and her dog settle into a cottage on the Moors. After befriending a local widower, Mark and his son, she begins to feel at ease with her new surroundings. But with the event of receiving concerning messages, constantly seeing a car in the village with Swedish licence plates and starting to see things she doesn’t know if they are real or not, Maria begins to unravel. Panic starts to set in as she doesn’t know if it’s her mind playing tricks or if what she’s seeing is real.
With the occasional back and forth between the current and the past events, we begin to see Maria in a whole new light. When we discover what she’s so afraid of, it is an eye-opener. From here, we don’t know how the film will be resolved or even if it will be. Mirja Turestedt gives one of the best performances we have seen this year, and it is a credit to her that she makes Maria so memorable.
DIRECTION AND WRITING
The direction of the film is superb. Apart from a few scenes that show vibrant colour, the film is dowdy. Almost bleached out, as it depicts Sweden and England as gloomy, overcast places. It almost feels as if the coldness we see on the screen spreads into our bones as we plough through the film’s events. While we think we are on safe ground, we most certainly are not. The rug can be pulled out from under us at any time, leaving us feeling less comfortable than we had anticipated. Add in some brilliantly directed performances from the cast. And a script that pulls the strings expertly, building up tension as we head towards what is an inevitable climax. It all leads to an enjoyable film that sticks with us.
VERDICT
Unmoored is a neat little psychological thriller that boasts an incredible performance from Mirja Turestedt that blows the mind. The tension and feeling of dread we feel during proceedings are well founded. At no time can we be sure that Maria is as kind and welcoming as she appears. Or is it that she’s a neglected, dominated wife who finally takes steps to free herself from the emotional persecution she faces from her husband? Could it be that she finally snaps and commits an act that will have future consequences? Although we think we know the answer, it is never truly revealed until the climatic ten minutes. By that time, we are yearning to know the truth.
Innocence is in the eye of the beholder. Could this be true for Maria? Or is she cold-hearted enough to commit an act that will follow and haunt her? This is what we will discover over the ninety three minutes we spend with the film. By the time we get up from our seats, we know that we have just seen an extraordinary performance from an extraordinary actress. We have just watched a twisting psychological thriller that we can never fully get to grips with. This is the beauty of the film, and why we bought a ticket to watch the film in the first place. Yet again, smaller films have shown the Hollywood big guns how it should be done. Moving, taut, and brillaintly constructed from the first frame to the last. This is independant cinema at its finest.
Unmoored will be in cinemas from Friday, August 15th.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
