Review: Prisoners

Hugh Jackman plays Pennsylvania contractor, survivalist, and family man Keller Dover, who is with his family and the family of neighbour Franklin Birch (Terrence Howard) for Thanksgiving dinner. Afterwards they notice that Dover and Birch’s two 6-year old daughters are missing, having been outside playing earlier in the evening. Dover’s older son claims to have seen an RV parked outside at one point, otherwise there are no leads for Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal, with neck tattoo and blinking facial tic) to go on. The van’s driver is arrested and brought in for questioning. He is Alex Jones (Paul Dano) a peculiar young man of low intellect, and it’s that low IQ combined with a lack of evidence that sees Jones released. Dover is enraged, as this simply won’t do, especially with time running out (The longer it goes on, the less likely it is that the girls are still alive). He is convinced of Jones’ guilt, especially since he claims Jones whispered something incriminating to him out on the street. And so he and reluctant participant Birch take matters into their own hands, kidnapping Jones, holding him hostage and plan on making him confess…any way they can. Maria Bello and Viola Davis are the men’s respective spouses, who themselves are having a hard time coping. Melissa Leo has a vivid supporting role as Alex’s formerly devout Christian aunt, whom he lives with. Len Cariou has a memorable cameo as an alcoholic priest who has a dead body in his basement, who he claims was a paedophile (but he himself may be one).

 

Although it isn’t an easy watch and ventures into areas of torture/vigilantism that I find a bit hard to swallow in a realistic context, this 2013 crime film from director Denis Villeneuve (writer-director of “Incendies”) and screenwriter Aaron Guzikowski (the underrated “Contraband”) is admirably done. Like “Here Comes the Devil”, there is undeniably that one unnecessary aspect detracting a bit, but this is the much better (and ultimately very different) film. I don’t believe torture really works, and I find vigilantism to be hard to swallow in the real world, but this film is much more palatable than others of its type. In fact, despite being a major theme in the film the torture isn’t as big of a factor on-screen as I was dreading (and I think the filmmakers agree with me on its merits/effectiveness anyway), and the only really drawbacks of the film are familiarity and cliché.

 

The film comes with a really good, oppressive atmosphere. The cinematography by the very fine Roger Deakins (“The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford”, “No Country for Old Men”) is appropriately rainy but still managing to be really good-looking. The lighting is especially impressive, it’s a dark film without being murky or hard to see. That’s a pitfall that is easy to fall into, but Deakins averts it. It’s a film steeped in misery and pain, and the atmosphere (and weather) reflect that.

 

Like all good films of this mystery/crime genre, it’s also just a really compelling story with a pretty irresistible premise. I especially liked the work put in to casting doubt on the Paul Dano character, despite his limited intellect. I mean, Jackman kinda has a point: How can a person with such a low IQ (that of a 10 year-old) be incapable of kidnapping two girls, yet legally drive a car, having passed the driving test?! Whether I approve of Jackman’s violent methods or not, you can see why shit like that would drive him nucking futs. I should’ve seen the twist coming, but absolutely didn’t. Bravo there, because while I picked up on crucial information, I dismissed the person in question’s connection to it, and therefore didn’t see the forest for the trees. Others among you will probably spot the twist, and that’s cool, but it got me.

 

The performances are all pretty effective, too. I’m not going to sit here and say that Hugh Jackman would be the first and best actor to play a survivalist building contractor with seething rage and violence. Russell Crowe would be a bit more appropriate in theory, you’d think, but maybe Jackman’s inherent decency helps sell this ugly material better? Still, I think he and Terrence Howard (otherwise well-cast as a somewhat weak man) seem too reasonable for these roles. Cast seedier, more redneck actors and you’ve got something much more realistic- Michael Rooker and Josh Holloway perhaps in the Jackman role. But we have what we have and I can’t deny that Jackman gives a strong and obviously passionate performance in the role. It’s one of his strongest performances to date, and he absolutely gives it his all. Good on him for trying something out of his wheelhouse, but most importantly, succeeding in giving a good performance, despite not being exactly right for the role. The man’s no lightweight, folks. Jake Gyllenhaal, as always is terrific, he really is one of my favourite actors of the last decade or two. The idiotic decision to have his character blink constantly, however, is a pointless and irritating acting choice. Still, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Gyllenhaal under-deliver as an actor and this is no exception in a role that is like a slightly edgier and much wearier version of his character in “Zodiac”, perhaps. The biggest surprises for me were Melissa Leo and especially Paul Dano. I’m not a fan of either actor to be honest, but this is without question the best and thankfully most subtle work Dano has ever done. He doesn’t look physically capable of kidnapping two girls, but he looks and acts creepy, weird and disturbed enough to work in the role nonetheless. Even when you feel someone else might be the guilty party, Dano is creepy enough that…there’s just something too ‘off’ about him for him to seem innocent. Melissa Leo might initially be hard to recognise behind some actually pretty convincing aging makeup and grey hair, and she does an effective job of playing older than she normally does, too. She really comes into her own the longer the film goes on. Viola Davis and Maria Bello don’t get a whole lot to do here, but Bello has a slightly similar character to Susan Sarandon in “The Greatest” where her character seems almost paralysed with grief and unable to function. Very strong, if brief work from the always fine Ms. Bello.

 

It’s a good, tough film, not too dissimilar from films like “Gone Baby Gone” and “Mystic River”. If those films tickled your fancy, you’ll likely find this up your alley, too. I liked it a lot more than I was expecting to, I have to say. It’s lumpy and sometimes familiar, but ultimately draws you in with its involving story, oppressive atmosphere, and solid performances. It certainly doesn’t feel more than two hours long, time flies by here.

 

Rating: B-