Well done psychodrama

Rating: 9/10 (1 November 2013)

I won't add much about the plot because that's already been done in spades. The title Prisoners is very apt for this movie, which focuses heavily on the effect that the disappearance of two young girls has on their families, the police detective who is investigating their disappearance, and a mentally retarded young man whose RV is connected with the crime and who may be, or may not be, the perpetrator.
The girls disappear right under the noses of their parents and siblings. They all must cope with the abduction, but the father of one of the girls, Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman), has sworn to protect his family and reacts, often violently, to the intense stress put on him for his dereliction of duty. He kidnaps the mentally retarded young man, Alex Jones (Paul Dano), and tortures him in an abandoned apartment building, hoping to beat out of him the whereabouts of his daughter. His wife, Grace (Maria Bello) resorts to prescription drugs to deal with her loss. The other parents are bereft too. The other father (Terrence Howard) reluctantly ends up aiding Dover in the torture.
Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) is able to relate the crime to some earlier abductions that had never been solved. He also must endure Dover's almost incessant raves that he (Loki) is mishandling the case. Eventually Dover's accusations get under his skin. Several clues are given who the real perpetrator is but they're easy to miss.
The action takes place between Thanksgiving and Christmas in a small Pennsylvania town, so the weather is gloomy and overcast, often raining or snowing. Very appropriate for such a dark movie. A poignant scene is Keller Dover on his knees begging forgiveness from Jones, who's been sealed in a wooden closet for torture with only a small hole to look out of. If you grew up Catholic, it'll remind you of a penitent confessing to a priest in his darkened booth in the confessional. And Keller Dover, although driven by his demons, is a deeply religious man (he wears a cross on a chain around his neck) and is well aware he's committing mortal sin. But he'll do anything, including sacrificing his own life, to find his daughter.
The ending is ambiguous in one sense. Although the perpetrator of the crimes receives justice, Keller Dover may, or may not, die in a very disquieting manner. Viewer's choice.
The acting is first-rate, as well as the script and directing. If you can handle a very dark theme done in a very realistic way, then I'd highly recommend this movie.