The thriller from Netflix, presented to the public in 2021, aroused high interest. The tension and dynamics of the plot did not exclude the meaning from the film “Guilty”. The conclusions of the protagonist reflect the police structure and touch upon the global problems of the system of human values.Meaning, Summary, Ending of the film
Summary of the film “Guilty”
The protagonist of the film is police officer Joe Baylor, who works as a rescue dispatcher. The man was suspended from service for shooting.
On a note! Guilty is a remake of the Danish film of the same name (2018). Despite this, the picture received a lot of positive feedback from critics and viewers.
The action of the entire film takes place inside the control room. Incoming complaints are perceived by the police as peculiar whims. Later, the man receives a strange call from a woman, Emily, hinting at a kidnapping. Emily’s conversion became a trigger for Joe’s psyche, drawing the man into the investigation. The presented fact becomes the starting point for the search for meaning in the film “Guilty”.
Over time, the former patrolman moves to an isolated room, and later completely crosses the working boundaries:
- introduces a friend to the case;
- directly contacts the husband of the woman who asked for help.
An independent investigation made it possible to find out the previous conviction of Emily’s husband Henry, which determines the policeman’s confidence in Henry’s crime.
A search of Emily’s home by Joe Rick’s friend turned up evidence of his husband’s attempt to provide psychiatric help to Emily. In the house of the woman, her little daughter and baby Oliver remained in the crib. Traces of blood were found on the girl, and the boy is in serious condition.
Another call from Emily dramatically changes the course of events and Joe’s attitude to what is happening. The woman threatens to commit suicide. Joe tries to save Emily from a hasty decision. Oliver is revealed to be alive and Emily has changed her mind about killing herself.
The situation that arose activated deep-seated fears in Joe. He tells Emily about the crime he committed during a service operation. The viewer is not given clear facts, but it is clear that the policeman killed the guy. Cope stated that the murder was committed at the threat of his own life. However, at the end of the film, he sincerely confesses to the murder.
The meaning of the plot
Regardless of their own wrongdoing, cops remain confident in their right to abuse the bad guys. Joe considers Henry to be an aggressor and a criminal who should be punished. The police officer advises Emily to hit her husband in the head with a brick. The main goal of the cop is the reprisal against Henry, despite the risk of the life of Emily and little Oliver. Joe is the main character in the film.
On a note! Jake Gyllenhaal acted as the 911 hotline operator.
The plot shows the police as an isolated structure (Joe is in the control room throughout the film, not taking a direct part in the events).
The meaning of the film “The Guilty” (2021) is revealed thanks to the director’s technique:
- Joe is in a shared office with other call center workers.
- The policeman moves into an isolated room with tightly closed blinds.
- Baylor on the floor of a snow-white toilet cubicle.
Such a technique keeps the viewer in suspense, while simultaneously demonstrating Joe’s internal changes, which reflect the meaning in the film “Guilty”.
More and more immersed in himself, who turned out to be capable of introspection, the policeman comes to the conclusion that the truth is inevitable.
The meaning of the ending
At the beginning of the film, the biblical saying is heard: “The truth will set you free.” In the film Guilty, the meaning begins to be revealed by the presented phrase.
Baylor’s beliefs are underscored by the intersection of a story from Joe’s past with central events happening to Emily. The policeman is limited in his own life views, and his actions are born of anger.
The meaning of the ending of the film “Guilty” (2021) is Baylor’s confession of the crime committed while performing an official operation. This scene becomes a symbol of Joe’s epiphany.
The main point of the film “Guilty” (2021) is the transformation of the consciousness of the protagonist Joe. Immersed in the investigation, the police officer sees violence again. The situation that has arisen differs from the previous ones in the isolation of Joe. He cannot demonstrate the strength and advantage of a policeman, but reveals the truth in court.
