The Guilty (2021) Review - It Works & Then It Doesn't

This is an odd one to discuss because there are qualities to it that are appealing and then there are others that really bring it down.

For starters, there is a level of investment and engagement in the story itself. If you haven't seen the original, you do find yourself intrigued by the story and the unfolding of the mystery itself. The isolated nature of it does create a fair amount of tension that does become more prominent and more useful towards the climax.

However, I have many issues with this personally.

Firstly, and most obviously I think, the editing is doing a major disservice to this type of narrative. It desperately needs to linger more versus cutting around the scenes quite frequently. And it fortunately does find its footing at a certain point and feels rather intimate because of it for a certain portion of the story. But it does feel lacking mostly; particularly at the beginning.

You're also questioning the logic behind this department as this lead is clearly unstable and not fit to perform his duties. By a certain point, you're asking yourself "why is he working?". There is also a big element about this character revolving around a court date he has….and somehow the department isn't aware of this. And if they did, why would they have him still actively working? It makes no sense to me personally.

Jake Gyllenhaal is mostly fine. I've always personally had an issue with how he on occasion choses to have these outbursts in the middle of his scenes and I usually think it takes away from his performances than adds more to them. When he's not trying to go big or play angry, and playing it more reserved and less theatrical, that's when he's putting in good work in my opinion. And he does behave that way in certain if not most parts of the film.

The other problem I have is the use of its social commentary, which really feels like a last minute decision. It comes a bit too late into the story and comes across more wooden and flat than anything else.

My last issue comes from the character itself. We don't necessarily feel like he's been through an arc of some kind. The ending makes you believe as such but you don't feel as though the character has really gone through tremendous growth or development. Because of it, you become rather distant from the character and more engaged by the performance being given.

In the end, I can't say I hated it nor can I say I liked it. It's very mediocre if not borderline fine. It has some fair engagement, a capable performance from Jake Gyllenhaal and a decent use of confined space. It's just unfortunate that this clearly Americanized remake hits on one too many missteps (mostly in its direction and its narrative execution) and feels in the end lacking and subpar at best.

It's not terrible nor is it great. It's just a very average isolated thriller.

Grade: C+