Jake Gyllenhaal is one of Hollywood’s most consistent, and consistently under appreciated, actors working today – and I’ll admit I am guilty of it myself (pun not intended) – but he, once again, delivers the goods in Antoine Fuqua’s remake of the 2018 Danish film The Guilty.
Joe Baylor (Gyllenhaal) is a disgraced police officer who has been relegated to the night shift of the 911 emergency call center whilst he waits for the courts to decide whether he will be acquitted and return to active duty or found guilty and sent to prison. Not wanting to be there in the first place and with his mind very much on his personal life, Joe is not the most sympathetic voice for those who are in need of a helping hand.
Joe’s nights takes a dramatic turn, enough to pull him out of his self-indulgent funk, when he takes a call from Emily Lighton, a terrified young woman who is unable to talk freely. His training kicks in and, through a series of yes or no questions, he is able to deduce that she has been kidnapped. In a potentially volatile situation like this every second counts and the tension build as he tries to eke out enough detail from Emily to help the police track her down, but as he narrows down on her location he begins to realise that something else, something more troubling, may be at play.
A backdrop of raging fires ravaging the Hollywood Hills helps to ramp up the tension and acts as something of a metaphor for the conflict raging inside Officer Baylor’s mind and personal life. About 99% of the film takes place in the relatively small confines of Joe Baylor’s work station and most of his interactions take place with people over the phone, putting the full weight of the film’s success firmly on Jake Gyllenhaal’s shoulders and whilst he carries the burden well, his character is flawed, a little abrasive and distinctly unlikeable which makes it a little difficult to root for him.
Antoine Fuqua’s direction keeps the story tight and concise but with a powerful undercurrent of emotional turmoil that helps frame Joe’s state of mind and provides a sub-conscious explanation of his decision-making to the audience. There is also a very subtle social commentary that is briefly touched upon which helps to weave a rich background yet still offering the viewers an opportunity to make their own decisions, assumptions and justifications for Joe’s actions.
For the sake of honesty, I have to say that I really enjoyed the film whilst I was watching it but it rather quickly faded from my mind after the credits stopped rolling. Ultimately, The Guilty is – in my opinion – one of those marmite films that some will love and others will hate. But regardless of your opinion, don’t let that take anything away from the strength of Gyllenhaal’s performance and if you watch it for no other reason, watch it for that.
The Guilty is now available to stream on Netflix.
