There are movies that are carried by the writing, saved by the director, or elevated by the actor. The Guilty is definitely the last one mentioned. Jake Gyllenhaal is an actor who has the ability to make a movie that may otherwise be subpar, more interesting. This is not to say that The Guilty wouldn’t have been watchable without his help. That said, Gyllenhaal’s participation in the project is probably what got it off the ground in the first place. A new addition to Netflix, the movie (thanks to Gyllenhaal) will serve as yet another impressive add on to his ever growing resume’.
The Guilty is an English remake of the original Danish picture which released in 2018.
The Guilty is an English remake of the original Danish picture which released in 2018. In it, Gyllenhaal is Joe. Joe Baylor is police officer who has been reprimanded for misconduct, resulting in him being reassigned to 911 emergency dispatch. What should be an ordinary shift behind the computer awaiting trivial dial ins, soon becomes a very real emergency that could mean the death of the woman on the other end of the line. The woman in question calls the emergency line to vaguely indicate that she’s been kidnapped and unaware of where she’s being taken. Officer Baylor is in for the night of his life as he tries with everything in him to find the woman and her abductor before it’s too late, his wits being tested like never before. Although, there is a catch, and Joe soon discovers the situation is far from straight forward.
What is straight forward, is how the script is written and how Antoine Fuqua chose to direct it. The majority of the time, the viewer will see Gyllenhaal. In fact, he barely leaves the screen. The woman can only be heard on the other end of the call, leaving viewers forced to use their own imagination regarding her conflict. This is arguably to the movie’s benefit, as this method combined with Gyllenhaal’s acting makes everything intense with no way to lead the audience to any forgone conclusion. It’s also questionable as to whether it would be the same without Jake Gyllenhaal. There are other actors, of course, who could have probably made the plot as interesting or maybe even more interesting. It was Gyllenhaal however who was handed the reigns, and for such a limited storyline, he hits it out of the park. It’s a classic scenario of ‘work with what you have’, and he does just that.
Don’t expect this to be a career defining moment for either Fuqua or Gyllenhaal. They have been a part of better, and will be a part of better down the road. Also, don’t take that as a dig at this movie. The Guilty is a revitalizing break from the overdone Hollywood tropes that only seem to continue making their way to screens despite the cries for originality. This one is simple but satisfying, and complex yet easy to follow. As Thanos (insert Hollywood) would say – “Perfectly balanced, as all things should be”.
