‘Broken people save broken people…’
Watching films on a plane is not the one. Prior to The Guilty, Antoine Fuqua’s excellent Jake Gyllenhaal vehicle, my only cinematic experience on an aeroplane consisted of sitting through the distinctly average A Nightmare on Elm Street remake on a flight to Canada over a decade ago. I could barely hear the sound, the screen was poorly defined and the movie itself underwhelming. I was sceptical of how much I would actually get out of the The Guilty as I plugged in my headphones and sat down to watch. In the end, the fact that I had nothing else competing for my attention (looking at you wife, cat and social media) meant that I was fully absorbed throughout the whole thing. Which is handy because The Guilty is genuinely fantastic.
Joe Baylor (Gyllenhaal) is a trouble cop who has been demoted to the role of 911 responder awaiting the results of an inquest. On what he hopes will be his final night on the job, a call comes in from an abducted woman (voiced by Riley Keough) that changes everything.
A one room set up is always a risky move for any filmmaker but when it works, the claustrophobic setting can bring the best out of an actor. 12 Angry Men is the most obvious example of course, but Locke and Buried would perhaps be more prescient reference points. Like those films, The Guilty allows its star, Gyllenhaal in this case, to bring his unique brand of intensity to the fore in a role that is perfect for an actor who rarely makes poor choices. The supporting cast, most of whom only appear as a voice at the other end of the phone, do a great job in bringing what is a heart-breaking and engrossing story to life, with Keough particularly excelling in a complex and multi-faceted role.
Fuqua does a great job in keeping things moving, and this breathless pacing ensures that there is never a moment when the one room set up becomes overpowering or dull, and watching this film on my headphones also provided further insight into the truly immersive sound editing. And that’s what this film is, it’s immersive and it drags you along with it. I was gripped throughout the skinny 90 minute running time to the point that I had momentarily forgotten all about my flight or my destination or even my unceasing desire for food.
In short, The Guilty was the perfect film at the perfect time for me, but I can confidently state that there is something here for everyone. A truly magnificent film with a truly unforgettable performance at its heart.