Prisoners

⛓️99% Finally got my wife to watch this masterpiece despite her distaste for my hero, Mr. Gyllenhaal. Prisoners is a slow burn crime thriller featuring stellar performances from the entire cast: Jackman, Gyllenhaal, Howard, Davis, and Dano certainly bring their A-game to this film. The story at its surface is a simple one - two girls are kidnapped and a manhunt ensues. One of our fathers, Keller Dover (Jackman), butts heads with the intense and mysterious Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal). The twists, turns, and misdirects keep you engaged, but you never feel like the story is purposefully sending you down a rabbit hole. All of this is enough to warrant a great film, but what elevates Prisoners to perfection is the masterclass in directing put on by Denis Villeneuve and the absolutely perfect cinematography by Roger Deakins. Everything is essential. Every word of dialogue, every moment of silence, every facial expression, every shot. Everything. Every frame justifies the roughly 2.5 hour run time. The first time I watched Prisoners, I was a little disappointed by the ominous ending. It didn’t make me like the film any less, but it felt dissatisfying and unnecessary. This time not only did I find the ending fitting, but I think showing Loki find Keller would have actually taken away from the impact of the film. **All 2023 Viewings List **