Watch The Guilty

The Guilty is a Danish thriller from 2018 directed by Gustav Möller. The movie follows the story of Asger Holm (Jakob Cedergren), a former police officer who has been temporarily assigned as a dispatcher in the emergency services. He has one night shift before returning to the police department after a suspension for an unclear reason. Asger views this as a dead-end job and is impatiently waiting for his shift to end so that he can go home.

As the night progresses, Asger receives a call from a panicked woman named Iben (Jessica Dinnage) who has been abducted and is being held captive somewhere. Iben pretends to talk to her daughter, and while she does, she desperately tries to find a way out of the trunk of her kidnapper's car. Asger tries to calm her down and gather as much information as possible about her situation, but he quickly realizes that time is running out.

As the story unfolds, Asger becomes more and more obsessed with solving the case while simultaneously trying to manage other calls that are coming in. He finds himself making risky decisions and crossing ethical boundaries to help Iben. As the hours tick by, Asger begins to uncover dark truths about Iben's past and the reason for her abduction, leading to a shocking climax.

One of the best aspects of The Guilty is the film's tight narrative structure, set entirely in one location: the emergency services dispatch room. Möller effectively creates a sense of intensity and claustrophobia as Asger's world starts to unravel around him, and he struggles to keep his composure while rushing to solve the case.

The film's minimalist approach is also one of its greatest strengths. There are no on-screen visuals of Iben or her kidnapper, and we only hear their voices through Asger's headphones. Instead, Möller relies on sound design and Cedergren's superb acting to create tension and convey the urgency of the situation. Cedergren's performance as Asger is incredibly nuanced, the character's highs and lows, frustrations and vulnerabilities. His character's personal story is gradually revealed throughout the movie, which adds an emotional dimension to the thriller.

Moreover, the movie touches upon various topics such as the ethical dilemma of having to make fast decisions, the responsibility of having a position of authority and the handling of calls by the emergency services. These themes add a layer of complexity to the movie, making it more thought-provoking and compelling.

The Guilty has already received critical acclaim, winning the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival 2018, and was the Danish entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards. The movie is a must-watch for anyone who enjoys a well-crafted and gripping thriller with excellent performances by an ensemble of actors. In conclusion, The Guilty (2018) is a masterpiece of Scandinavian minimalism, a taut and emotionally draining thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end.

The Guilty is a 2018 thriller with a runtime of 1 hour and 25 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.5 and a MetaScore of 83.