Released in 2020, Unhinged is a psychological thriller directed by Derrick Borte, starring Russell Crowe as a man driven to dangerous extremes after a road rage incident, and Caren Pistorius as Rachel, a mother who finds herself and her son being hunted down by Crowe’s menacing character. The movie, which has risen up the charts on Netflix now in 2024, delves into the volatility of human emotions under stress and explores the consequences of unchecked anger. In this article, I will dive into a detailed plot breakdown of Unhinged and discuss the film’s shocking ending. I will also briefly discuss the central themes of the film.
Please be aware that this article will be full of spoilers so proceed at your own risk.
Unhinged (2020) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
The film begins with Tom Cooper (Russell Crowe), a man driven to the edge by personal failures and anger. One night, he breaks into the house of his ex-wife and murders both her and her new husband. After setting the house on fire, he drives away, leaving a trail of destruction. The next day, news channels across the country cover the brutal incident, but Tom seems to have no remorse as he goes about his day.
Meanwhile, Rachel Flynn (Caren Pistorius), a struggling single mother who is going through a divorce, wakes up late for work. She drives her son Kyle to school, only to receive a call from a client informing her that she has been fired due to her constant tardiness. Rachel’s chronic lateness has already caused her several problems in life, and this event pushes her further into despair. While stuck in traffic, Rachel honks repeatedly at a pickup truck that is stopped at a green light. The driver of the truck, revealed to be Tom, takes issue with her impatience.
What does Tom do to Rachel?
At the next stoplight, Tom pulls up next to Rachel and demands a “courtesy tap” rather than the aggressive honking she gave him. He tries to coax an apology from her, but Rachel, already stressed and in no mood to engage, refuses to apologize. Her dismissal enrages Tom, who then promises to teach her a lesson and make her experience the worst day of her life. What starts as a minor road rage incident escalates quickly when Tom begins terrorizing Rachel and her son, putting their lives in danger by attempting to run them off the road.
After dropping Kyle off at school, Rachel realizes that Tom is serious about his threats when she spots him again at a gas station. A good Samaritan named Leo tries to protect her but is run over by Tom in a horrifying scene. Rachel’s day worsens when she discovers that Tom has stolen her phone, using it to track her movements and contact her friends and family. He confronts and kills Rachel’s divorce lawyer, Andy, at a diner and continues to harass Rachel, forcing her to choose his next victim.
Desperate, Rachel suggests her former client, Deborah Haskell, as the next target, but she soon realizes that Tom has tricked her. Instead, Tom heads to her home, where her brother Fred and his fiancée, Mary, are staying. In a brutal encounter, Tom forces Fred to stab Mary, killing her, before setting Fred on fire. Injured but still alive, Tom continues his rampage, relentlessly pursuing Rachel and her son.
Unhinged (2020) Movie Ending Explained:
Why did Tom target Rachel?
At the core of Unhinged, Tom’s rampage against Rachel is driven by much more than just a road rage incident. Tom represents a man on the verge of collapse, someone who feels the world has wronged him repeatedly. When Rachel refuses to apologize for honking at him, it becomes the tipping point that unleashes his pent-up frustrations.
For Tom, Rachel symbolizes every person who has slighted him, particularly his ex-wife, whose infidelity and subsequent divorce left him feeling powerless and enraged. Tom’s rage towards Rachel is largely symbolic—he sees in her the same qualities he loathes about his ex-wife, assuming that Rachel too is playing with her husband’s emotions, even though their situations are entirely different.
His goal isn’t simply to scare Rachel but to make her feel the same misery and frustration he experiences. He projects his insecurities and personal failures onto her, turning his vendetta into something deeply personal, despite knowing almost nothing about her. In his mind, Rachel represents the people who have wronged him, and by tormenting her, he attempts to regain control over his chaotic life.
Does Rachel manage to get Tom off her tail?
During the ending of Unhinged, Rachel and Kyle flee to her mother’s house, where she knows of a safe hiding place for her son. However, Tom is relentless, following them and breaking into the house. In an attempt to stop him, Rachel rams into Tom’s minivan, but it only temporarily halts his pursuit. When Rachel checks to see if Tom is incapacitated, he attacks her from behind.
Inside the house, another fight breaks out, with Rachel and Kyle struggling to fend off Tom’s brutal assault. Tom tries to strangle Kyle with a cord, but Rachel, using all her strength, stabs him in the eye with a pair of scissors, killing him and ending the nightmare. The moment is both a literal and symbolic victory for Rachel, who has been pushed to her limit but refuses to let Tom win. The fight is a depiction of her maternal instincts, as she is willing to do anything to protect her son.
Tom’s previous injuries, including a gunshot wound, give Rachel and Kyle a fighting chance. The final scene, where Rachel uses Tom’s own “courtesy tap” line from their initial encounter before delivering the killing blow, brings their conflict full circle. What began as a minor argument escalated into a deadly struggle, with Rachel ultimately emerging victorious, though at a great personal cost.
Unhinged (2020) Movie Themes Explained:
The Dangers of Rage and Impulsivity
One of the central themes of Unhinged is the devastating impact of rage, particularly when combined with impulsivity. Tom’s character embodies uncontrolled fury, making impulsive and violent decisions that lead to deadly consequences.
His initial rage, triggered by something as trivial as a honking horn, spirals out of control, showing how fragile and dangerous unchecked anger can be. In contrast, Rachel’s anger initially manifests in more socially acceptable ways but ultimately becomes a driving force in her survival as she fights back against Tom.
Urban Isolation and Breakdown of Social Norms
The film paints a bleak picture of modern urban life, where people live in constant stress and isolation, leading to emotional breakdowns like Tom’s. Both Tom and Rachel are portrayed as individuals facing overwhelming personal crises, but whereas Rachel’s stress is a product of external pressures, Tom’s collapse is rooted in a deeply toxic and self-destructive mindset.
The road rage incident serves as a metaphor for the disintegration of social norms, where minor acts of frustration can escalate into dangerous confrontations. The movie highlights how isolation and lack of empathy in society can create fertile ground for explosive encounters.
The Vulnerability of the Average Person
Rachel’s journey throughout the movie also underscores the vulnerability of ordinary people when faced with unpredictable and extreme danger. From the moment she honks at Tom, her life spirals out of control, showcasing how a random encounter with a dangerous individual can upend everything.
The film emphasizes how anyone can become a target of violence in today’s unpredictable world. However, it also shows the strength and resilience that individuals can muster in the face of such terror, as Rachel refuses to give up, fighting for her life and her son’s.
Moral Ambiguity and Survival
Finally, Unhinged explores the theme of moral ambiguity in extreme circumstances. While Tom is clearly the villain, Rachel’s actions, especially in the final moments, suggest that when pushed to the edge, even the most innocent person can resort to violence.
Her brutal killing of Tom reflects the movie’s overarching question: Is it possible to survive without becoming the thing you’re trying to escape? The ending leaves viewers questioning the morality of Rachel’s actions and whether her response to Tom’s threat makes her a hero or someone who has succumbed to the same kind of rage that destroyed Tom.
