Cop movies have never resonated with me on a personal level for some reason. Thus, I was pleasantly surprised by “The Guilty,” a film available to stream on Netflix that takes place in a single morning in a 911 dispatch center, following Officer Joe Baylor played by Jake Gyllenhaal.  

Joe Baylor works to help save a kidnap victim named Emily, voiced by Riley Keough, who has been kidnapped by her ex-husband. However, Baylor also struggles with his own emotional problem, implied to be PTSD throughout the course of the film, climaxing with surprise twists that deliver a huge payoff for the viewer. 

The movie was gripping  and engaging throughout; in particular the musical score of the film contributed heavily to the suspense. The music was a mix of loud intense action followed by rest periods of calming melodies, or silence. The emotions of the film line up perfectly with the music. The use of  music in the final scene best highlights this, with a somber violin playing in the background underscoring the sad situation. 

The film is shot in one building and continues in the same day adding to the suspense of the story. There are hints of what will happen to Baylor after he leaves his shift, but these hints are just flavor to the story and to the primary narrative tool of the film, being the 911 calls. There is more than one 911 call made throughout the story, but the film does a good job of showing how important the film’s primary call is to Baylor. 

Something that I began to notice as I was watching the film was the cinematography, and how it fit to match the scene. When something more dramatic happens, the room becomes darker, as if the room the character matches the emotion of the scene. This changing of lighting is a small, but impactful way of making the limited rooms have a whole breadth of emotion. 

The only major negative issue I have with the film is that it sends a mixed message when it comes to police officers. This may have been intentional, but if it was, then it was poorly executed. It sends the idea that police officers are both angelic and horrific. Sometimes the narrative shows police saving people, and sometimes it has the characters speak about them negatively. The film lacks a clear focus of theme when it comes to how to view police. 

When first selecting “The Guilty,” I was expecting another boring one-scene bad cop tries to redeem himself, however, I was pleasantly surprised by how the film doesn’t try to make him seem like a good person – only that he’s doing the right thing. If you find yourself browsing Netflix looking for a new movie to watch you can’t go wrong with “The Guilty.”