The Guilty

The Guilty is a 2021 American crime thriller film directed and produced by Antoine Fuqua, from a screenplay by Nic Pizzolatto. A remake of the 2018 Danish film of the same name, the film stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Christina Vidal, with the voices of Ethan Hawke, Riley Keough, Eli Goree, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Paul Dano, and Peter Sarsgaard. The Guilty had its world premiere at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2021. The film was released in a limited release on September 24, 2021, then digitally on Netflix on October 1. It received positive reviews from critics, with Gyllenhaal's performance being praised, but it is felt that the remake was inferior to the original film. Plot Troubled LAPD officer Joe Baylor works the night shift at a 911 call center while awaiting a court hearing for an incident that occurred on duty eight months prior. He answers a call from Emily Lighton, a woman that reveals she has been abducted. While traveling in a white van, Emily is forced to hang up before she can provide more details. Joe relays the information to the California Highway Patrol, who cannot locate the van without a license plate number. Joe calls Emily's home phone and speaks with her six-year-old daughter Abby, who tells him that her mom left the house with her dad, Henry Fisher. After getting Henry's cell phone number from Abby, Joe is able to retrieve the van's plate number. Joe also learns that Henry has a record of assault. Joe then calls Sergeant Miller about sending a patrol unit to Emily's home to do welfare check on Abby and her baby brother, Oliver. He also requests a patrol unit to investigate Henry's apartment. Miller refuses to send anyone to Henry's without a warrant. Reminding Joe of his legal issues, Miller suggests he stop investigating. Afterwards, Joe calls Henry and demands to know where he is taking Emily. Henry hangs up after Joe starts asking questions in an accusatory tone. Joe then calls his former partner, Rick, who is off-duty. Joe asks him to go to Henry's house. Rick complies, but also expresses concern about Joe's upcoming hearing at which he is set to provide testimony.