The Unraveling

A female car accident victim develops the paranoid conviction that neither she nor her husband are who they claim to be. Therapy is unavailing and pregnancy seems to make things worse - though we never know for sure how much of what transpires is real or a nightmarish hallucination. Her husband even goes to the extent of impersonating his own double in order to play along with her delusions.

Well produced and acted, this often frightening exploration of trauma-induced mental illness nonetheless leaves too much uncertainty at the end to permit any sense of closure. It's of a piece with a number of recent movies which seem determined to frustrate the audience, not merely by eschewing old fashioned Hollywood endings, but by deliberately depriving the viewer of a satisfying experience.

*The Unraveling* (2023), directed by Kd Amond, is a gripping psychological horror that delves into themes of trauma, identity, and paranoia. After a severe car accident leaves Mary Dunn (played by Sarah Zanotti) with a brain injury, she begins to believe that her husband, Grayson (Sam Brooks), has been replaced by an impostor. The film masterfully blends psychological tension with eerie horror, as Mary navigates mysterious phone calls from a man claiming to be her "real" husband, while a sinister presence haunts her.

The film stands out for its atmospheric direction and the emotional depth brought to the lead character's experience. The tension escalates as Mary's fragile sense of reality deteriorates, creating a disorienting, mind-bending narrative. This descent into psychological horror is both thought-provoking and terrifying, with haunting visuals and a slow-burn intensity that keeps you on edge.

While some might find the pacing a bit slow, the film's exploration of trauma and fractured identities offers a fresh take on the horror genre. Zanotti's performance is particularly compelling, balancing vulnerability and terror as her character's grip on reality slips away.

Overall, *The Unraveling* is a well-crafted horror-thriller, perfect for fans of psychological horror with a disturbing, emotional edge. It's a film that stays with you long after the credits roll.

A STUNNING, WONDERFULLY SURPRISING THRILLER, "THE UNRAVELING" KEPT ME GUESSING AND FULLY ON THE HOOK UNTIL ITS JAW-DROPPING CONCLUSION.

The cinematography is perfect, and not once was I taken out of a scene because it felt low-budget. The characters are well fleshed out, with top-tier performances across the board.

Topics such as grief, loss, prenatal insecurity, suicide, and disability are all shown from Mary's perspective, but we get enough interaction with him to see how it affects him as well.

We have a psychiatrist who gives us much-needed exposition, explaining the situations and stakes without it feeling forced or rehashed. It's a clever way to explain complicated issues to the audience, such as Mary's inability to make eye contact with her husband.