The Guilty

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Riley Keough (voice), Peter Sarsgaard (voice), Christina Vidal, Eli Gore, Ethan Hawke (voice), David Castaneda, Adrian Martinez, Paul Dano (voice), Bill Burr (voice)
Directed by: Antoine Fuqua
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Thriller
2021

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A troubled 911 operator receives a call from a woman kidnapped by her husband and goes to extreme lengths to try and save her.

Review:

Tim: The Guilty is a remake of a popular Danish film (as of this writing, I haven't seen it). It's a good movie, although it rarely inspires. There's a few interesting twists, but they seem less effective in practice than in theory. I wouldn't call Antonie Fuqua's film especially memorable, but it's a solidly entertaining film.

The film's main selling point is that it tells this thrilling story completely focusing on a 911 operator. It's more or less a single location story and while we see a few glimpses of other actors, 99% of the film involves Jake Gyllenhaal. This unique storytelling approaches are always interesting to me. I think the movie would have been better without this device- to see the other characters (especially considering the actors involved) would have broadened the story and made it more memorable. As is, we still get a fairly thrilling story. Much of it takes place in our own minds as we go on this journey with Gyllenhaal's character, our sources of information (like him) are limited to the phone and the internet. This approach does put us right there along with him and gives you an appreciation for operators like this who are sitting safe and comfortably at a distance, trying to piece together dangerous and deadly situations. It's kind of fun in a way, but it ultimately feels as limiting as anything else.

It helps that Gyllenhaal is a fantastic actor. We spend the 90 minute run time exclusively looking at him. He is one of my favorite actors and I believe he has the talent to do anything. He absolutely carries this movie with his performance. Now, I didn't quite like his character. That is certainly a main feature of the story, but I think it was a bit of a mistake. He needed to be deeply flawed, yes. However, I wish he was slightly more likable. I couldn't really find myself caring much about his character, which undermines some of the drama, especially in the latter stages of the film. So, while Gyllenhaal gives a praiseworthy performance, the one issue I had is that I wish he'd developed a better connection with the audience. I believe Fuqua deserves some of the blame for this as well.

As mentioned, the supporting cast is nearly nonexistent in person with Gyllenhaal. I liked seeing Adrian Martinez in the flesh. Everyone else- Riley Keough, Peter Sarsgaard, Ethan Hawke, Paul Dano, Bill Burr - we just hear them on the phone. They all give good voice performances, but it's hard not to feel cheated. I would have likely enjoyed the movie much more if we got to see those talented actors on screen. It felt like a waste of talent to only have their voices here. They're good in those roles, but ultimately make a far less impact than they otherwise might have.

I will say that I was entertained throughout the film and I always interested in seeing where the story would go. I might not have had the emotional connection I needed, but I wasn't bored. The movies takes us on a winding journey and the unexpected moments are worthwhile, but not as shocking as they expected them to be. I have to believe the original Danish film did a better job with this. I could see how the ending might have been powerful and unforgettable, but Fuqua doesn't quite nail the landing. It felt more like, "Huh, okay" verses, "Oh my god, what?"

So, in the end, The Guilty is worth your time, but it's ultimate impact is too easy to shake off. It doesn't stay with you. It's an interesting approach that gives Gyllenhaal a great chance to showcase his talent, but as good as the movie is, it still leaves a lot to be desired. It's another Netflix movie that doesn't quite deliver the hit expected.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: End of Watch, The Equalizer, Jarhead