Status: Unknown (2014) Stacey Oristano, Stephen Colletti, Brea Grant, Griff Furst, Tenaj L. Jackson Movie Review

Status: Unknown (2014)   2/52/52/52/52/5


Status: Unknown (2014)

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It was at their high school Jessica (Stacey Oristano) last saw her friend Karen (Stephanie Honoré) but since then has only been following her online but has recently become concerned by some of the comments she has been leaving about her relationship. After meeting the handsome Josh (Stephen Colletti) at a bar whilst away with her friend Cynthia (Tenaj L. Jackson) she tries to discover what has happened to her friend as her husband Paul (Griff Furst) says she run off to Hawaii which makes Jessica suspicious as Karen was always afraid of flying. Unable to let it lie she uses her skills on social networks to try and find her friend.

The irony of my life is that whilst I make my living writing movie reviews for this website I am not a huge fan of social media and if I didn't have to use it I wouldn't. Yes, in many ways I am a throwback to the days before the likes of Mark Zuckerberg made the internet a place where once again the most popular rise to the top. It maybe why as I watched "Status: Unknown" I found it all a bit ridiculous that we have Jessica turning amateur detective due to some posts on a friends wall or page whilst also using online videos to teach some breaking in skills. It isn't just what Jessica gets up to using the internet but her decision to text instead of call when she has someone keeping a look out for her as she sneaks around a house. Maybe for those who love their smart phones and social media might find it more engaging than I did.

The thing about "Status: Unknown" is that it relies heavily on the whole technology side of things to make the movie work so that when someone hijacks the webcam on Jessica's laptop there is this mix of shock and horror which frankly doesn't manifest itself if you don't care for that side of the movie. And when you eliminate the techie side of the storyline what you have is the usual woman turning amateur detective, suspecting one thing then the next and then ending up having her own life screwed with and put in danger due to her snooping. Unfortunately you don't care whether or not Karen is found or whether Paul is guilty as it seems to suggest.

What this all boils down to is that "Status: Unknown" has a gimmick which is modern technology and it needs you to be a fan of smart phones and social media for it to work because with out that this ends up just another made for TV thriller which struggles to get you involved in the mystery or the amateur detective work.


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