Prisoners

I love this film (hence its placement in my top 5), but I don't think any future viewing will ever come close to how it made me feel the first time viewing it late one evening in December with one of my best friends. Perhaps that is the nature of films whose plots center around some narrative mystery: they aren't as exciting when you know exactly who did it and what happened. Yet although I'll never be able to re-experience the intrigue of Prisoners when I saw it first, there are still plenty of things to praise whose merit remains regardless of the viewing count. So let's start there.

Hugh Jackman's performance: The "where is my daughter" scene has been memed to death and of course draws the most attention, but where I felt he excelled were in some of the quieter moments. The first scene where Keller Dover (Jackman) meets Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) felt so devastating as Dover visibly battles between his attempts at maintaining a respectful dialogue and his feelings of outrage and terror. He portrays a very complicated and angry man who pushes the line on what is morally acceptable all while maintaining the audience's sympathies. Even with the impressive writing, the dichotomy of Dover's questionable actions and his justifiability with the viewer could easily be a challenge too daunting for lesser actors.

Themes of moral ambiguity: Prisoners takes no stance on the hard line between right and wrong and in doing so causes reflection in the mind of its viewers. Like any substantially compelling film, the question of "what would I do in their situation" takes root as our protagonist is confronted with an impossible situation. For some, this question manifests as a "How much do you love your family?" and yet for others it could take the form of "Do you value your humanity?" I applaud any film that can turn my critical gaze inwards and Prisoners effectively does so with such an intriguing and difficult premise.

But easily the standout part of the film was exactly what cannot be replicated upon subsequent viewings. The mystery at its center was able to take the above elements and craft a thrilling whodunit that poses interesting questions, features wonderful performances, and never ever lets go of the viewers' attention. Genuinely one of the quickest two and a half hours I have ever experienced as I was dying to uncover the mystery and grapple with its implications. I won't get into specifics for the sake of avoiding spoilers, but between serious red herrings and small, rewarding details, Prisoners is a masterclass in building suspense and crafting a gripping mystery. This film is one of my go-to's when friends ask for film recs.