Kate, Unhinged
From the Archives
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02-Sep-2019
An L.A. actress invites her filmmaker friend to a Palm Springs getaway from quarantine, a supposedly restorative trip that turns frustrating. “Kate, Unhinged,” directed by Kailee McGee, is a meta deconstruction on acting and friendship which follows the maneuvering of a well-positioned creative trying to make career headway during a period of national crises. While watching racial justice marches on her phone, Kate (played by Kate Adams) lounges around in a plush Airbnb retreat, where she’s joined by a friend who she has convinced needs to get out of the city for peace of mind. The trip quickly becomes an obligation for the friend (played by McGee) to help Kate self-tape for a series of auditions and Instagram stories, which grows more and more exasperating. McGee is a NoBudge favorite — her previous short, “The Person I Am When No One is Watching” made our 2019 Short Films of the Year List, and before that, “Blessed,” was a bonkers ‘fine line between real and fake’ romp through the life of a wannabe star. The new film is looser, a doodle of sorts, that takes form as a subtle commentary of self-absorbed lifestyles.
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