Film Review

Genre: Documentary, Drama, Thriller/Suspense
Production Company: Fleet Street Films
Director(s): Anthony Spadaccini
Producer(s): Anthony Spadaccini, Benjamin P. Ablao, Jr.
Writer(s): Anthony Spadaccini, James Schaeffer
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hr 20 min
Release Date: 2005
Production Budget: $3,000
Camera: Sony Digital8
Recognition: 2006 Indie Can Film Festival, 2006 Newark Film Festival

Synopsis: While on a camping trip, several friends find themselves in an unbearable dilemma when one of them is suspected of committing a hate crime against a gay teenager. Accusations fly. Loyalty is questioned. Friends become enemies. Guilt sets in. Unstable is one of 2005's most innovative underground indie films that attacks issues of loyalty, friendship, and homophobia in today's society. Special extended version with 9 minutes of additional scenes.

Anthony Spadaccini, co-writer/director of UNSTABLE, uses a unique improvisational filmmaking style to explore the modern day issue of hate crimes. Prior to filming, each actor was given a brief synopsis of what his characters traits were and the overall storyline but there was no written script to follow. What follows is an impromptu and interesting story.

The film opens with a great title sequence that includes an excellent original score by Mario Brian De Santis. The story begins with a first person narration by the lead character, played by Spadaccini, as he and a group of his friends gather for a weekend camping trip. The film starts out with the feel of a home movie travelogue as the group gathers together and travels to the campsite. However, it isn't long until the plot begins to develop as tension between Jim, an obvious homophobe, and Bobby, a homosexual, develops. The film tackles a subject that can be difficult and challenges the viewer to think.

Though the film was well cast and the actors were believable in their roles and delivered good performances, it has slow moments with some long, drawn out scenes that didn't have any bearing on the plot line and probably could've been cut. With the focus being on the tension between Jim and Bobby, much of the other material could have been trimmed down to make it a much tighter film.

The audio work was average. More thought and planning could have been devoted to lighting particularly in some of the evening campfire scenes. Spadaccini agrees. "Even though I feel that one of the film's biggest strengths is its raw realism, the film is technically a little bit more raw than I would have liked. The lighting is a bit weak and I just used the camcorder's built-in mic, as opposed to an external mic."

When asked what he thought to be the challenges of the film, Spadaccini responded, "Unstable was filmed in just four days in early October 2004. We shot it on zero budget to speak of, roughing it in the woods of southern Delaware, without a script or the luxury of shooting scenes in multiple takes. With our digital-8 camcorder and big aspirations (and without luxuries such as running water or bathroom facilities), we trekked out into the woods, went camping, and shot a tragic tale of a hate crime that could have been prevented.

"The film's ending was probably the biggest challenge, mostly for safety reasons. We really were out in the middle of nowhere, so we didn't have a safe haven in case something went wrong or someone got hurt. Luckily, our exercise in guerilla filmmaking went smoothly."

"The subject matter, however, was probably the hardest I have ever dealt with. The number of hate crimes in the United States is rising dramatically every year and it is scary that at any given moment, one of us could become a victim. The main message of this film is that we too often sit back and do nothing while innocent people around us, daring to be different, become victims."

The film can be purchased at www.theshotlist.com