Prisoners

With a film like “Prisoners”, you are treading on a lot of thin ice- child abduction, police bending the law for the better, aggressive parents looking for their kids. You get it. This premise could have gone sideways almost out the gate, but nope. This is a powerful piece exploring ethics and what is essentially cataclysmic dread for any parent. It’s a tough watch to stomach because how personal each interaction is, but ultimately it’s the performances and direction that sell it. Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal are at their very best and rawest they’ve ever been. They are what makes the tensions boil and give us the literal meaning of “by any means”. The moment everything in the plot clicks with the viewer, you will have to pick your jaw up. It is a masterclass on drama and suspense, and I implore you watch this one when you can.