Prisoners - C+

Rated R, 146 minutes

Well-acted mystery "Prisoners" also tedious and unfocused

Jake Gyllenhaal and Hugh Jackman

The new crime thriller "Prisoners" fits well into the fall movie going season. It has a heavy subject matter, an A-list cast and it runs longer than two hours. Tense and superbly acted, it's also much, much too long for what is essentially a standard whodunit and audiences may become restless and weary in its final act. After his six-year-old daughter Anna and her best friend Joy are kidnapped on Thanksgiving, small town carpenter Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) butts heads with young, brash detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) in charge of the investigation.  Dover begins to take things in his own hands when he captures one of the suspects (Paul Dano), who may or may not have a connection to the kidnappings. Directed by Canadian filmmaker Denis Villenueve, Oscar-nominated for 2011's "Incendies," "Prisoners" is a well-made and well-acted film hampered by an inefficient script by Aaron Guzikowski and tedious plotting. Its middle act in particular is a bit of a slog as it slowly goes from one clue to another and Jackman, in a strong performance, beats the living daylights out of poor Dano (intriguing at first, tiresome and redundant after the umpteenth beating). "Prisoners" could've benefited from a tighter, more focused script, instead it meanders in and out of some underwritten characters and plot points, including the characters played by Dano, Maria Bello, Terrence Howard and Viola Davis, when it should've focused on Jackman and Gyllenhaal's (in another solid turn) characters as they attempt to resolve the crime. Oscar-winning character actress Melissa Leo is terrific as Dano's guardian, who may be hiding more than she lets on, but even her role is minimal until the last half hour. "Prisoners" is a gritty, well-acted but tedious crime mystery that's about 30 minutes too long. Recommended for the performances, but your butt may feel like the real prisoners after sitting for so long.

Wes's Grade: C+