Antoine Fuqua has never been a director whose films I’ve fully enjoyed. Outside of Training Day and Southpaw, I’ve mostly been bullish on his work. So when news broke that Fuqua would be bringing his English-speaking remake of the 2018 Danish thriller The Guilty to the Toronto Film Festival, I wasn’t too keen on watching. However, knowing Academy Award nominee Jake Gyllenhaal would be leading the cast, I immediately added it to the schedule. What a wise choice that was, as the film offers a tight 90-minute film with a commanding Jake Gyllenhaal performance.
As one of the few folks out there who have not seen the 2018 Danish film, I was blind to the film’s twists and turns, which ultimately aided in my viewing experience. Fuqua’s version of The Guilty is essentially a shot-for-shot remake of the original, which in turn means those who have seen the original will find the plotting all too familiar. Yet, those who have yet to see the original film will indeed be swept up in its tense filmed moments, thrills, and emotionally compelling turns.
The film takes place in almost real-time during the tail-end of Joe Baylor’s 911 operator shift. Baylor is serving his time on the phones following a demotion that will see him up front in court within the coming hours. His mind is elsewhere, but incoming calls fully engulf Baylor into uncovering the ongoing events he’s addressing on these calls.
One of the film’s most compelling aspects is Nic Pizzolatto’s script. Pizzolatto effectively sprinkles cookie crumbs through the film that allows the viewer to play detective in putting the puzzle together and not only attempt to aid Joe in his ongoing situation on the 911 call but uncovering the events that have led to his downfall.
The voice work in the film is compelling. Riley Keough’s work is haunting as the distressed woman who is alluding that she is currently being abducted by her husband, voiced by Peter Skarsgard. Keough evokes anguish and absolute fear during her interactions with Joe and makes it easy for the audience to be enthralled with her story entirely. Along with Keough and Skarsgard, Ethan Hawke, Eli Goree, and Paul Dano all lend their voices to the film and do fine work as they intertwine into Joe’s life.
With all its positives, Jake Gyllenhall is the most significant talking point of the film. The film showcases Gyllenhaal’s talents as he presents Joe as a commanding, intense, magnetic presence that it’s hard not to be laser-focused on him while watching the film. His performance continues to offer an example of why he’s one of the best actors working today and, quite frankly, one of the most underrated. If there is any reason to watch this film, it’s for Gyllenhaal.
Because the film is a straightforward remake, the film does lack any originality. However, the best remakes do a bit of shifting that allows the filmmaker to show his style. In this case, it’s hard to deny that there was no deviation from the source material that hurt the film overall. By the time the credits roll, it does not feel like wasted time.
Thanks to Gyllenhaal’s compelling performance and tense-filled moments, The Guilty is sure to be another crowd-pleaser for Netflix. This one will indeed have folks talking.
