Overlong and dangerously reliant on cliché, Guilty wastes a solid performance from Khan as it never entirely escapes the feeling of a cheap-and-cheerful TV drama.

The score is intrusive and overwrought, which undercuts and often distracts from the potentially compelling drama on show. Tonal confusion and a lack of character work also detract from this occasionally enjoyable story.

Based on a famous closed case, Guilty can be forgiven for a certain lack of narrative closure – however its worst crime is that of the many characters we’ve been watching for two hours, precisely none are given any sort of ending.

Pleasantly enjoyable yet slightly daft for much of its runtime, Guilty is fatally damaged by its abrupt ending, which offers no form of payoff whatsoever.

RATING: 2/5

INFORMATION

CAST: Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Neeraj Kabi

DIRECTOR: Meghna Gulzar

WRITER: Vishal Bhardwaj

SYNOPSIS: An experienced investigator (Khan) confronts several conflicting theories about the perpetrators of a violent double homicide.

Guilty was screened as part of the Thrill Gala at the 2015 London Film Festival.