Guilty is a 2021 American thriller film directed and produced by Antoine Fuqua and written by Nick Pizzolatto. A remake of the 2018 Danish film of the same name, the film stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Christina Vidal and is voiced by Ethan Hawke, Riley Keough, Eli Gory, Davain Joy Randolph, Paul Dano and Peter Sarsgaard. Guilty premiered at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2021. The film had a limited release on September 24, 2021, and was released digitally on Netflix on October 1. Gyllenhaal’s performance was well received and received positive reviews from critics, but the remake was criticized as inferior to the original.
Plot of Guilty
The skeleton of this thriller is pretty much the same, down to the clever little prologue that makes the hero seem flawed, adding another California-esque background. We meet Joe Baylor, who works the night shift in the emergency room. His city, Los Angeles, lights up the background. In this age of smoke and flames, asthma sufferers must use inhalers more and more. He also addresses the unknown controversy that sent this LAPD officer and fielded calls from reporters. Finally, he tries to say goodnight to his daughter after solving the problem of separation from the family. Because of this oppressive tension, he is quick to reprimand the caller, such as when he reprimands the caller for drug use or fights with another man who robbed a prostitute in Bunker Hill.
Actor Scenario of Guilty
The actor plays an angry Los Angeles police officer dealing with an unsolved violent case that happened a few months ago. This led to his relegation to a clerical position. He also misses his young daughter, who lost his wife in the incident
As he deals with a flood of calls, he becomes obsessed with the story of one caller—a lady who says she was snatched from her house by an unidentified attacker and is being transported elsewhere. He makes it his life’s work to save the lady, hoping that by doing so, he would not only be of assistance to another person but will also find atonement.
My Review of “Guilty”
Like many stand-up thrillers, Guilty is stingy and fragmented with information. It takes advantage of the lack of information to mislead viewers in one direction when the truth is completely different. However, the scenario is not without problems. Plot and themes do not overlap or change. The ending is abrupt, there are plot holes, and the big twist towards the end would have been predictable, at least for those paying attention.
But Gyllenhaal’s tough acting makes the film even more worthy. The film itself was the brainchild of Gyllenhaal, who commissioned a remake immediately after seeing the Danish original. In fact, it carries the film and keeps the audience glued to the screen even when the plot falters. A well-thought-out but a flawed thriller, Guilty becomes an immersive experience thanks to its central execution. Guilty is available on Netflix.
Character performance
The other characters are only voices, with the exception of Christina Vidal and Adrian Martinez, who portrays Joe’s coworkers. Riley Keough plays the distressed Emily, Peter Sarsgaard plays her ex-husband Henry, Christiana Montoya plays their daughter Abby, Eli Goree plays Rick, Joe’s former partner, Ethan Hawke plays Sergeant Bill Miller, Da’Vine Joy Randolph plays the CHP dispatcher, Paul Dano calls 911 at the beginning of the movie after being robbed, and Gillian Zinser plays Jess, Joe’s ex-wife. These talented voice actors create fully realised
