The Guilty: Guilty of the Remake?

The Guilty, Netflix’s American remake of the 2018 Danish thriller ”Den Skyldige” also known as ”Guilty,” had its world premiere on September 11, at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival.

Following a limited release on September 24, the film was released digitally on Netflix on October 1.  

Jake Gyllenhaal plays 

Joe Baylor, an unsettled LAPD officer, is currently working at a 911 dispatch call center.

The Movie begins during his night shift and moves forward when he receives a call from someone facing severe trouble.

He tries to save the person, along with facing problems from his dark past.  

The 91-minute thriller is a lot similar to the original in its plot.

Director Antoine Fuqua and his team did not add much of their perspectives to the adaptation and stayed loyal to its original.

The Movie is not as claustrophobic as the original and has not completely satisfied many people who have already seen the 2018 thriller. 

What is Jake Gyllenhaal’s contribution to the Movie?

The Danish thriller has about 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, whereas the Netflix adaptation is 71%. However, on Netflix, Jake Gyllenhaal did succeed in attracting the audience.

It has been constantly on the top list for the past two weeks worldwide, following its release on October 1.   

The plot, which is not as foolproof as the original, can be grateful for the fantastic performance of Jake Gyllenhaal.

Again, the actor has proved why he is one of the best actors, if not the best actor of his generation, through another spellbinding performance.

Jake’s performance in the Movie as Joe Baylor felt so natural.

The actor was so convincing with the portrayal of the troubled character.

The frustrations, the uncertainty looming over his daughter, and how he makes wrong decisions in critical situations by trusting his disturbed mind, all these aspects attached to the character were so brilliantly delivered by Gyllenhaal. 

Is the Movie worth it?

The American version is a good choice for the people who are yet to see the original if you are looking forward to watching a good performance.

The criticism for the Movie might be too harsh, but it indeed is no match for the original and, at the same time, not a disaster either.

Sometimes, the expectation associated with the massive success of the original can be the reason for the mixed reviews. 

It might not be that disappointing if they decide to give the Netflix release a go.

Ninety-one minutes is not that long, plus the factor of Jake Gyllenhaal is there! Set mainly in one location, the Movie, which belongs to the crime-thriller, failed to keep up the suspense that was kept a mystery from the beginning.

One could guess the possible way the film will end as the Movie goes forward, so that is not something you want from a movie belonging to the genre of crime-thriller. 

The remake received a lot of mixed reviews since its release, but everyone admired the performance from Jake.

The versatile actor who has turned in quite a few brilliant characters has not failed to live up to the expectations placed on him as he did deliver a well-worthy performance as Joe Baylor in The Guilty. 

The Guilty or Den Skyldige?

For cinephiles around the globe, remakes may not be something appreciable. However, all of the remakes cannot be considered the same.

Such is the case here. The 2018 Danish thriller, which captured the audience’s minds, is indeed something challenging to outshine.

The American remake might find it hard to compete with its original, but the Netflix film can be the one for someone who loves to enjoy a 91-minute movie.