There is no doubt about the fact that Jake Gyllenhaal can act. From Nightcrawler to Brokeback Mountain to Donnie Darko, this is a man who is skilled at what he does. Somehow the Hollywood Gods have failed to recognize this fact. The Guilty movie is yet another example of his simply being in a film that raises it to another level. The film itself is a remake of a Danish version of the same name released in 2018.
According to user reviews on IMBd.com, The Guilty movie isn’t as good. But the Danish version doesn’t have Gyllenhaal and I haven’t watched it, so Mother of Movies can’t compare the two. It’s highly unlikely though that rewatching a story like this in any language would make it better. Knowing the narrative ahead of time would diminish the impact of how it journeys along.
The way the film is set out reminded me a little of the title The Call starring Halle Berry and I couldn’t help but think about that story and compare it to this. In both cases, filmmakers, thrilling and compelling events, and performances make both movies a success. In The Guilty, Joe is mid-shift answering 911 calls. He’s distracted, has a headache and a wildfire burning large areas is heavily impacting resources. There are so many cogs in motion between Joe’s backstory and what’s happening in front of him that the stress can almost be seen emanating from his forehead.
A Remake of Den Skyldige
Antoine Fuqua (The Magnificent 7, The Equalizer) captures the themes woven into the original motion picture in stunning connectivity. Nic Pizzolatto (True Detective) wrote the screenplay for The Guilty taken from original writing by Gustav Möller and Emil Nygaard Albertsen on “Den Skyldige.” Whether or not this film is a knockoff that was needed or not, what we got was pretty darn good. Voice actors to listen out for are also a treat, given most of the cast calls in unseen. But Riley Keough, Peter Sarsgaard, and Ethan Hawke are among some of them.
The story plays out as Joe goes rogue based on his own interpersonal trauma and an on-the-job incident. Joe’s been placed on desk duty until his upcoming court case and of course, it’s not until the finale that we are told the details of what he did. I won’t reveal any of that here, but I have added a short spoiler section in case you missed the finite details of the end of the film.
When he receives a call from a distraught woman called Emily, his night shift turns erratically sideways. Emily explains she has been kidnapped and is in a white van, and it’s from here that Joe takes it personally and embarks on a mission to save her.
Movies With Police Crime and, Drama
Everything about this taut crime thriller is like something akin to a movie-length version of the TV series The Sinner. Where the guilty person or persons are not the first things immediately placed in front of you. It’s only as the story unfolds that the details are what makes everything come together in ways you weren’t expecting.
The Guilty touches on themes that really swing heavily but do so with precision. Things like mental illness, crimes in the police force, and the different ways we deal with our own fate will remain a lingering thought after the credits roll. If you’re a fan of films that keep you guessing until the final minutes, spare some time for this.
I give The Guilty
3.5 Broken people save broken people out of 5
The Guilty is streaming on Netflix from the 1st of October in most regions.
The Guilty cast includes Ethan Hawke, Riley Keough, Peter Sarsgaard, and Christina Vidal.
The Guilty Movie Nextflix Explained
Spoiler section for The Guilty, the ending
Joe shot a boy on the job. He confesses to Emily that he did it because he wanted to. This can only point to him and his cop coworker Rick conspiring to cover up his crime. In his conversation with Rick at the end, he tells him to tell the truth. This results in various news outlets running the story of Joe being convicted for the shooting and being sent to jail.
In comparison, Emily was mentally ill, and not only was her ex Henry trying to take her back to an institution but he simply wanted to help her get better.
During Joe’s confession, he seems to realize that the only way for him to save Emily is to convince her she is worth saving.
Movie Trailer for Netflix’s The Guilty
