Writer and director Reza Ghassemi‘s “Unwinding” is a stylish, atmospheric neo-noir thriller that gives a familiar kidnapping mystery a darker, more contemporary edge.
When a senator’s son disappears, grieving private investigator Gaven Mori (Peter Facinelli) is hired alongside fellow investigator Olivia Avery (Q’orianka Kilcher) to find him. Initially, the missing persons case looks like a straightforward kidnapping. But once the pair begin to dig deeper, it leads to a web of political corruption, redacted files, and a secret society operating behind the scenes of the city’s powerful elite. As the investigation continues, Gaven discovers unsettling connections to his own wife’s suspicious death, putting both his professional and personal life at risk.
The film is a handsome production, with a confident visual style that captures the mood of classic film noir while giving it a modern sense of paranoia. The cinematography, lighting, and sound design do a lot of heavy lifting, creating an atmosphere thick with suspicion and unease. The occasional overly blue color palette can feel a little cold, but there’s no denying how well-crafted the film looks and feels. Beneath its familiar crime thriller setup is a more thoughtful story about isolation, distrust, and how difficult it can be to separate truth from perception.
The pacing is deliberate, with a few scenes that drag on longer than necessary, but Ghassemi trusts the audience to follow the mystery rather than spelling everything out. That approach is refreshing, even if the film occasionally takes its ambiguity a little too far. Some character motivations and plot details remain frustratingly vague, leaving certain developments feeling underexplored. Still, the story keeps you guessing, and an unpredictable twist ending gives the mystery a satisfying final jolt.
“Unwinding” may tread familiar noir territory, but its execution, atmosphere, and willingness to keep the audience thinking make it a compelling thriller.
By: Louisa Moore
