The Guilty (Den skyldige)

This razor-sharp thriller follows police officer Asger Holm, newly demoted and desk-bound, when he gets a panicked phone call from a woman claiming to be kidnapped. When the call is abruptly cut off, Holm must try to piece together what little evidence he has using only his wit and the few resources at hand to find her before the clock runs out. What’s remarkable about this gripping and tightly wound mystery is its beautifully streamlined simplicity. Stripped of the usual gimmicks of car chases and long fight sequences, the film takes place pretty much exclusively in one location with a story that unfolds in real time and rests almost solely on the simmering performance by Jakob Cedergren as Holm. A treat for any suspense fan, this clever and impressive debut feature by Danish filmmaker Gustav Möller is an edge-of-your-seat, heart-racing puzzle that will keep you guessing, and a film that makes those overly-gruesome and over-plotted primetime cop shows look like rookies.