Sob Custódia

I grew up on the Twilight Zone and love the genre - even when the delivery falls short. So when I see a low budget film like this, I just imagine I'm putting on a modern Twilight Zone episode and just enjoy it for what it is. There is something lovely about a closed set and a variety of actors with diverse motivations and a Cube or Usual Suspects flavor that is just fun for its own sake. You can't watch this hoping for a Fincher outcome and then ding it when it doesn't meet that expectation. That said, if they had tightened the script a bit more and done a few more takes for some of the emotional moments, it would have landed better. Give Mucci some dollars and let him make another one. I kept thinking I saw flashes of inspiration that might prove profitable next time around.

Detained is a strong contender for worst film of the year so far, I haven't seen a thriller this insanely overblown and outlandishly meaningless since... I dunno. It's sad to see a classy actress like Abbie Cornish stuck in this crap, playing a young woman who wakes up in a police station and is grilled by two hostile detectives (Moon Bloodgood & Laz Alonso) about a supposed hit and run that she has no memory of. Of course that's not really what's going on, and once the film gets past that initial setup and tries to orchestrate a bunch of stupid twists that it thinks are oh so clever, you'll abandon all hope of making sense of it. It tries everything to impress; weird double crosses, red herrings, nonsensical plot turns and even an eye rolling Keyser Soze angle that makes it feel even more like a try-hard ripoff. I have seen thrillers that walk a fine line in making sense of their more bombastic elements and even some that don't, but get a free pass on sheer energy and enthusiasm alone. This one gets neither; it's loud, mean spirited, lazy storytelling of the worst kind.

Is a psychological thriller that weaves a mysterious and intricate story, focusing on creating tension and suspense. The plot revolves around a character who is inadvertently caught in a situation that unfolds with new layers at every turn.

The direction skillfully conveys a sense of anxiety and uncertainty, while the use of a confined setting enhances the feeling of entrapment experienced by the protagonist. The lead actors deliver strong performances, adding to the film's credibility.

This movie is recommended for fans of suspenseful narratives with a focus on character psychology. However, paying close attention to details is essential for a better understanding of the story.

Rebecca Kamen (Abbie Cornish) wakes-up at the interrogation room of a derelict precinct that will be renovated without any recollection of the previous night. Detective Avery (Laz Alonso) and Detective Moon (Moon Bloodgood) interrogate her about a hit-and-run, and her smashed bumper is the evidence. Det. Moon interrogates Robert (John Patrick Amedori) and Det. Avery brings Rebecca to hear what he is saying. She recalls that she flirted with him in the bar where she was drinking and then went to her car to make out and she might have been drugged. Rebecca lawyer up, and the lawyer Isaac Barsi (Justin H. Min) visits her at the jail. She says that he is not her lawyer, but he explains that he works in the same office, and she is in Tokyo. Rebecca is left in a jail with Jess (Josefine Lindegaard) and Sullivan (Silas Weir Mitchell) and her friend Sarah (Breeda Wool) visits her and indicates her to run. When Sullivan becomes violent in the jail, Det. Moon tries to contain the prisoner, but her weapon falls from her hand and Sullivan is suffocating her. She asks Rebecca to shoot him with her weapon, but the shot goes through him and hits Moon. The angry Det. Avery brings Rebecca to his office, and she offers one million dollars to him to forget the incident. He asks two million dollars and when Rebecca is ready to transfer the money, she notes something wrong and suspects it may be a sham.

"Detained" (2024) is an intriguing low-budget thriller, with great storyline, screenplay and performances. The plot keeps the viewer tense from the beginning to the end and surprisingly it is underrated in IMDb. The duel between Abbie Cornish and Laz Alonso is excellent, but the identity of Javon is easy to find in the end. The conclusion shows who is who. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Detained"

Detained is about a young woman held in police custody for a DUI resulting in the death of a cyclist. However the detention does not go according to plan, and there are twists and turns along the way that make this a half decent thriller.

I saw Abbie Cornish's name on the cast list and almost didn't watch it as she is by no means an A or even a B lister of note. However I was intrigued by some write ups so decided to give it a watch.

Almost the entire movie is filmed in the police station and it's filmed quite well too. The direction is also very passable, although the story which has tons of potential, isn't as good as it could have been. Same with the acting, with the best performance coming from Moon Bloodgood. Cornish is passably OK although still in B movie territory for me.

I wouldn't rave about it as the main -almost mythical- bad character known as JoVan is identifiable within the first half hour. Some of the acting is poor and the story could be much better. However I gave it a 5 as if you've got nothing else to watch, it's not awful.