The Guilty

This story follows the world's most incompetent crisis negotiator, Joe, as he attempts to keep a situation from getting out of hand. When I say incompetent, I mean that thanks to Joe's endless blunders and impulsive behavior, this movie was just one soundtrack away from being a dark comedy. Instead it got labeled a thriller due to the thrill the of pure rage the audience feels as they watch Joe pick one poor choice of words after another.

The acting was pretty good and the story was new to me. The fact that Fuqua was able to make a movie like this from virtually one location and on such a frugal budget is pretty impressive, but come prepared to yell at Joe for being more than a little useless for an hour and a half.

As has been said this was a remake of a Danish film. I haven't seen the Danish film but I have seen something very similar although forget what and when.

Jake G. Puts on a powerful and somewhat over dramatic performance. I say over dramatic because there is a huge mismatch between his acting and eveyone else's and it shows. The gap was far to wide to ignore. From yelling at more senior and experienced staff to throwing expensive equipment around and no one challenged him on it except for a feeble demand for respect from his sergeant, and I do mean feeble and it didn't last long.

This really was a one man show and boy did he put on a show. Unfortunately everything else was just filler to drive it along for another Joe moment. Sure to please Jake fans and I did enjoy seeing top class talent which he is.

I gave it a 6 because it didn't get me where it should have,

Director Antoine Fuqua also did his best with the screenplay he had, and created the perfect amount of non-stop tension and suspense - also due to Jake Gyllenhaal's outstanding performance. The cinematography and score were also on point, and the 90 min runtime and pacing just right. But the story itself was just nothing spectacular and easily forgettable - and written better in other 911 films. There were also too many plot and technical issues, and unrealistic actions and procedures taken by both the police and 911 operators. It's a generous 7/10 from me.

Greetings again from the darkness. Let's start with this disclosure: the original Danish film from Gustav Moller was one of my top 5 favorite films of 2018. Even then, I fully expected an Americanized version to happen at some point. The surprise is having director Antoine Fuqua (TRAINING DAY, 2001) handle the remake. He's known more for bombast and action, than the nuanced suspense delivered by the original. To offset this, Mr. Fuqua wisely chose the dependable Jake Gyllenhaal as his lead, and the talented Nic Pizzolatto (creator and lead writer of HBO's "True Detective") to adapt the screenplay.

Gyllenhaal never cheats the audience, and he dives into the role with his typical full force commitment. Except for a few blurry visuals of cars on the highway and the dramatic opening shots of the raging California fires, Gyllenhaal's Joe Baylor is on screen for the entire run. He's a detective on desk duty at the 911 call center pending his court case on charges that only become clear towards the end. Joe is also separated from his wife and daughter; a crucial element in how his shift plays out in front of us.

As we listen in on his first few calls, it becomes obvious how Joe's time on the streets have fine-tuned his quick-to-judge persona. He's not shy about telling callers their own choices are responsible for their current predicament. Just as he's about to dismiss his latest caller Emily, his instincts kick in, and he discerns that she's been abducted by her husband in a white van, and fears for her safety. This initial call between Joe and Emily is a work of art, and kicks off the nearly unbearable tension for the rest of the movie and Joe's shift.

Fuqua and Pizzolatto infuse commentary unique to modern day America. The fires are always in the background impacting emergency resources, as well as the air being breathed. Police collusion and abuse of power are also an underlying aspect of what unfolds in front of us. Yet somehow, the film (perhaps accidentally) speaks to the immense pressure faced by law enforcement and how instincts and quick judgments are crucial to assistance and survival. Joe bounces from calm demeanor to explosive overreaction in the blink of an eye - or the beep of an incoming call. We witness how preconceived notions can lead one astray, even if they've worked in the past.

In addition to Gyllenhaal's commendable performance, the film includes terrific voice work (via phone) from such actors as Riley Keough (as Emily), Peter Sarsgaard, Ethan Hawke, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Christiana Montoya, and Paul Dano. Adrian Martinez and Christina Vidal appear alongside Gyllenhaal in the call center, although the single setting contributes to this being mostly a one-man show.

We understand that Joe Baylor is seeking personal redemption in his all-out pursuit to save Emily, and one line in the film speaks directly to this: "Broken people save broken people." If you haven't seen the original, you are likely to get caught up in the tension, and ask yourself many of the same questions Joe is asking himself at the end. Gyllenhaal previously teamed with director Fuqua in SOUTHPAW (2015), but this crime thriller is something different for both. If you are up to the challenge, watch this version and the original, so that you can compare the contrasting approaches.

Streaming on Netflix beginning October 1, 2021.

Jake Gyllenhaal once again proves how good of an actor he is, especially a character actor. He plays this role, Joe Baylor, a 911 phone operator with such intensity has he battles inner struggles alongside the torment of an abduction. For me the film isn't as entertaining as it is without Gyllenhaal in the lead role. Others may disagree but this reminded me slightly of his performance in 'Prisoners' in which he plays a detective battling similar demons.

I really enjoy films that take place in one location as it immerses you more into the narrative and I think director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer) does a very good job in keeping the tension centred around Gyllenhaal's character.

I don't think the writing is anything spectacular, it's really Jake Gyllenhaal's performance as well as some stellar voice acting via the phone calls that carry the film.

It's an enjoyable watch that I had a good time, albeit it wasn't a great film, but it had a great performance from a great actor.

Great.