Although some of the most tense scenes in Russell Crowe’s 2020 thriller Unbalanced take place behind the wheel, several notable filming locations are seen throughout the film. Unbalanced follows Crowe’s character, credited only as “Man”, who chases and terrorizes Rachel Flynn (Caren Pistorius) after she honks at him for blocking the road at a green light. As the film progresses, the man further increases his violence and threats against Rachel, proving to the audience that road rage can cause serious danger.
Unbalanced was released in theaters in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and struggled to perform well at the box office. However, recently debuting on Netflix, UnbalancedThe streaming release brought new attention to the film. However Unbalanced holds a critic score of just 48% on Rotten tomatoesThe film’s action and intensity proved to be entertaining for new audiences. This new attention sparked viewers’ interest in knowing where the altercations between the man and Rachel took place.
New Orleans, Louisiana
The intersecting streets of New Orleans can be seen in several scenes in Unhinged
Although many Unbalancedthe scenes take place in Rachel and the Man’s cars, there are several locations that are recognizable as being in New Orleans, on and off roads. The chase scene in which Rachel tries to get away from the man after leaving a gas station makes use of New Orleans’ crisscrossed roads that lead to bridges and larger highways. This chase takes advantage of the city’s slow traffic, an important factor throughout the film. Audiences also get a glimpse of the cityscape as Rachel drops off her son, Kyle, at a school in downtown New Orleans.
Kenner, Louisiana
Kenner provided the setting for Unhinged’s suburban scenes
Next door to New Orleans is the quieter suburban town of Kenner, Louisiana. Since Unbalanced makes it clear that parts of the characters’ lives take place in New Orleans, it only makes sense that they might live in the city nearby and travel to the city to work or study. These scenes help create a distinction between when the characters are driving through the city and when they are entering a residential area on the way home.
Unbalanced made use of the suburban visuals of Kenner’s neighborhoods to show that the characters often lead quiet, peaceful lives. The film shows Rachel’s house, where several important and shocking scenes take place, as if it were a typical neighborhood outside the city. Later, at the film’s climax, Rachel and Kyle drive through their mother’s large, labyrinthine neighborhood in an attempt to hide from the Man. The winding streets of Kenner’s neighborhood confuse the man long enough for Rachel and Kyle to come up with a plan and finally emerge victorious.
Source: Rotten tomatoes