Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

The Guilty Blu-ray Movie Review

Bluetooth blues.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III October 14, 2022

Unless you're really up on your imports, chances are good you're familiar with The Guilty through its respectable 2021 remake starring Jake Gyllenhaal. The 2019 Danish original, directed by Gustav Möller, is possibly even better with its slightly more dialed-in focus, a measured one-man performance by Jakob Cedergren, and an ambiguous ending that doesn't feel like a short sell. It's still up to personal preference but, given the sudden and startling revelations learned during their nearly identical stories, whichever one you see first will likely be the more effective thriller.

Since the 2021 version has no home video release as of yet, a mostly spoiler-free synopsis for the original is in order. During a normal evening shift answering phones at an emergency desk, police officer Asger Holm (Cedergren) handles the usual variety of urgent and joke calls. He's distracted for personal reasons not revealed yet, but it's suggested that an important court hearing will take place in the morning. With only 15 minutes until quitting time, Asger takes a call from Iben Østergård (Jessica Dinnage, voice only), who is clearly in distress and speaks in misdirecting sentences so as not to alert the mystery man driving her... somewhere. A generic description of their vehicle is put together and Asger, increasingly focused on her plight, runs point between a dispatcher and local patrol station to intercept the kidnapper. Tension mounts slowly but surely: bad weather makes finding the vehicle difficult, and once the description of "a white van" is matched the wrong one is pulled over. The woman's six year-old daughter and infant son are also discovered to be home alone, adding to an already dire situation. With multiple dead-ends reached and one gigantic plot twist yet to come -- not to mention the stress from what tomorrow might bring -- it's not long before Asger's once-stoic demeanor boils over completely, leaving him in a broken and frantic state hours after his shift would normally end.

Along the way, crucial details are revealed that clarify key elements of Asger's situation and personality. We learn that an incident involving the shooting death of an unnamed civilian has his name attached. He's going trough a separation with his wife, and must also deal with a news reporter who has obtained his personal cell number. In both iterations, he's the inarguable focal point of this story even as his mystery caller's plight unfolds, and The Guilty's unyielding focus on its central subject makes it a fine example of minimalist, story-driven filmmaking. Simply put, this is the kind of film with such a solid premise that it's almost unbreakable -- I'm not surprised a remake was made so quickly.

Where this original film's focus differs slightly from the remake -- and usually for the better -- are infrequent story beats and tonal developments that seem tailored to fit their respective target audiences. Interactions with Asger's co-workers are minimized, placing increased focused on the matters at hand. A late-period tragedy is hastily smoothed over in the remake, which stuck out as a somewhat unbelievable happy ending for the kids involved. A new coda is likewise added to the American version that clearly spells out the fate of its main character, but I slightly prefer the original's more ambiguous resolution. Finally, the remake adds a young child for our hero, as well as a more dialed-in focus on the relationship between police officers and the general public; considering the current climate on that subject, it was probably a good thing. As far as performances go, Cedergren does a commendable job as Asger and offers a believably polarized take on the character, whereas remake star Jake Gyllenhaal (who also produced and bought the story rights) goes for a more immediately unstable performance as similarly troubled officer Joe Baylor.

Both are very solid films and, while I prefer this version, it may not play quite as well for some American audiences due to certain unavoidable cultural barriers. But it's undeniably a well-crafted production whose small cast and intense focus make The Guilty an unforgettable watch and, as long as you're cool with subtitles -- or at the very least, questionable English dubs -- you'll probably agree. Magnolia Pictures' Blu-ray offers solid A/V merits but comes up short on extras, which is partially assuaged by its current rock-bottom price tag. Great blind buy material, this one.

The Guilty Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Magnolia's 1080p presentation of The Guilty supports its source material well enough; it's a film that never leaves office interiors and relies on dynamic, varied camera angles to elevate interest without overcooking the visuals. Fine detail is quite good in close-ups and mid-range shots alike, with modest depth achieved thanks to varying focal length, but let's face it: this is not a visually-driven production, so the simple fact that the Blu-ray presents this film on a stable, mostly artifact-free transfer means that that there's almost no real room for improvement. While The Guilty's lack of showy visuals and location footage means that interesting screenshots were hard to come by, they nonetheless reveal what you get here with almost 100% accuracy: a perfectly decent presentation of limited means.

The Guilty Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Guilty takes an interesting sonic path on its default Danish DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix: almost entirely free of music and other typical decorations, it's a clearly front-heavy presentation that sporadically digs into the rear channels during occasional dialogues between Asger and anyone on the other end of his phone line -- especially Iben, of course. These brief segments are slightly exaggerated with much better clarity and depth than you'd normally get from a mono headset connection, but the technique firmly places you inside the head of its main character in a simple and effective manner. It's a solid presentation indeed and one that sneaks up on you without feeling too gimmicky, even though stronger activity in the surrounds during non-call moments would have sounded more realistic.

In direct contrast, the optional English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio dub is passable in its overall execution with similar sonic tricks, but Asger's speech sounds a lot more forward and robust than it normally would in the film's specific environment. That said, I've heard much worse so anyone allergic to subtitles will find it satisfactory.

One note about the subtitles: both the English and SDH options seem to offer a literal translation of the original Danish audio. I'd rather have this than the alternative, but it's usually customary for dubtitles to be included too.

The Guilty Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a standard keepcase with unavoidably generic cover artwork and no insert or slipcover. Unfortunately, no extras are included either but a subtitled Danish-language trailer can be found here.

The Guilty Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Gustav Möller's The Guilty, recently remade for American audiences, is a sturdy close-quarters thriller led by great storytelling and an outstanding lead performance from Jakob Cedergren. Magnolia Entertainment's Blu-ray offers solid A/V merits, while its lack of extras is somewhat smoothed over by a very attractive current price tag. It's a fantastic blind buy for newcomers and also worth a look for anyone who liked the remake. Firmly Recommended.