Unashamed: A Family Meltdown That Actually Works

Is this thing worth your time?

If you like movies that make you squirm in your seat because everyone is making terrible decisions, yeah, watch it. It’s for folks who appreciate old-school melodrama that doesn't hold your hand. If you need a clean, happy ending where everyone learns a lesson and hugs it out, stay away. You will probably hate the ending.

Dick is just a guy trying to look out for his sister, Jean. He goes about it in the worst way possible, obviously. Shooting the guy she's dating, Harry, seems like a permanent fix to a temporary problem. It’s the kind of impulsive violence that makes you want to shout at the screen.

Harry Swift is the kind of character you love to hate. He’s got that greasy, predatory vibe that makes your skin crawl whenever he’s in a scene. I found myself wanting him off the screen long before the trigger got pulled.

The middle of the movie really leans into the courtroom stuff. Watching the sister, Jean, turn on her own family is just brutal. There is this one reaction shot of the father that lasts about three seconds too long, and it says more than any dialogue could.

It’s got that same heavy, suffocating atmosphere you might remember from Tiger Shark, though they are very different animals. You can feel the tension in the room, like the air has been sucked out by all the secrets being kept.

Random notes from the couch:

• The lighting in the hotel scene is weirdly dramatic. Like, why is it so shadowy?
• I kept waiting for someone to just stop and talk, but nobody does. Classic.
• The extras in the courtroom look bored as hell. One guy in the back row is barely keeping his eyes open.
• The dialogue is punchy, sometimes too punchy. It feels like a stage play that got loose.

Honestly, the movie gets better once the initial crime is out of the way. When the trial starts, the pacing shifts into this weird, frantic gear. It’s messy. It’s a bit unpolished. But it feels real in a way that most 'prestige' dramas from that era just don't.

It’s not a perfect film. Sometimes the stakes feel like they’re being manufactured just to keep us watching. But when Jean looks at her brother in that courtroom? Forget it. You’re hooked. Even if you want to look away, you can't.

It’s definitely not for everyone, but if you’ve got a rainy afternoon and want something that leaves a bit of a bitter taste, this fits the bill. Just don't expect to feel good about anyone involved when the credits roll. ⚖️