Film Review: The Guilty (2000)

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(source: tmdb.org

Even before “Me Too” movement serious allegation of sexually inappropriate behaviour towards women was enough to seriously wreck someone’s career. At least this was used as the basis of the plot for The Guilty, 2000 thriller directed by Anthony Waller. The film represents the remake of eponymous two-part BBC miniseries starring Michael Kitchen. The plot of new version is set in United States and starts with Callum Crane (played by Bill Pullman), extremely successful attorney who is about to be appointed as US federal judge. However, his next brilliant career is threatened because he took too many drinks during one office party and raped his secretary Sophie Lennon (played by Gabrielle Anwar). She later decides to blackmail him – she threatens to tell everything to police and media unless he resigns from future. In the meantime, young Nathan Corrigan (played by Devon Sawa) has just left prison after serving six month sentence for stealing cars. He wants to start new life by searching for his biological father who just happens to be Crane. He meets Tanya Duncan (played by Angela Featherstone), young woman who would assist him in his quest and who also happens to be Sophie’s room mate. When meeting between father and son happens, Crane doesn’t have a clue that Nathan is his son and believes that he is just a petty criminal. Nathan, much to his surprise, receives envelope with Sophie’s photo and advance cash payment for Sophie’s murder. He is horrified with an offer and doesn’t even want to open the envelope. Nathan’s best friend Leo (played by Jaimz Woolvett), on the other hand, has problems with loan sharks and no scruples will prevent him to get the money, even if it means murder.

Script by William Davies, just like in British original, has so many coincidences in the plot that some might get impression that The Guilty is a parody instead of genuine thriller. However, this impression is quickly quashed by confident no-nonsense direction by Anthony Waller, who has proven his ability to handle thrillers with very good but highly underrated debut Mute Witness. Waller also uses cold Vancouver locations that aren’t that different in creating dark atmosphere as English locations in the original. The cast is quite good, almost as good as its British counterparts. Bill Pullman, an actor who usually plays angelic protagonists or naive sidekicks here enjoys playing despicable villain, while giving enough nuances to the character to even evoke some sympathies among audience (something that Michael Kitchen did in British version). Gabrielle Anwar, on the other hand, isn’t that effective in her role and doesn’t make some of her character’s more questionable choices look that convincing. Devon Sawa is good, but Jaimz Woolvett almost steals the show as Nathan’s near psychotic sidekick. Fans of The X-Files would probably appreciate an appearance by Bruce Harwood, actor who played Byers, one of the Lone Gunmen in that show and its spin-off. However, script near the end, unlike the original which provided dark, ironic and unconventional plot resolution, succumbs to Hollywood unwritten rules making this version of The Guilty look like an uninspired copy. Same can be said about rather redundant subplot about Crane’s wife (played by Joanne Whalley). However, at the end of the day, The Guilty is solid enough to keep audience attention until the end and most viewers would enjoy it, although more likely if they haven’t seen British original beforehand.

RATING: 5/10 (++)

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1 comments
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The movie looks nice
I guess it may have some actions in it..
I will surely love this