It’s Thanksgiving in the US tomorrow, so I’ll be recommending some appropriately themed flicks this week. Apologies to my non-American readers, but I make this promise: I won’t share any turkeys, and all the films will have more going for them than just a big dinner.
Have some holiday anti-cheer with 2013’s Prisoners, the English-language debut of Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve. When two little girls go missing after dinner on a foggy gray Thanksgiving day in Pennsylvania, the father of one of them (Hugh Jackman) and the cop brought in to investigate (Jake Gyllenhaal) engage in some extremely questionable behavior in their attempts to find the children.
A suspense thriller that challenges us to consider and reexamine appearances of guilt, this grim, often shocking film is a fascinatingly trying experience thanks to powerful performances all around: Jackman’s rages are terrifying and Gyllenhaal exudes at least as many serial-killer vibes as the creepy suspect they pinpoint (Paul Dano). The incredible cast also features Viola Davis, Melissa Leo, Maria Bello, and Terrence Howard.
A good cinematic choice if you need something bitter to counteract the sweet pumpkin pie after dinner tomorrow.
US: stream on Netflix; rent/buy on Prime and Apple TV
UK: stream on Netflix; rent/buy on Prime and Apple TV
See Prisoners at Letterboxd for more viewing options.
