Detained review – Abbie Cornish is best thing in twisty noir that flirts with ridiculousness

When Rebecca (Abbie Cornish) wakes up handcuffed in a police interview room with no memory of how she got there, something feels off. The officers grilling her about a hit and run seem legit at first: a detective (Moon Bloodgood) with a hard, mean stare is classic bad cop, assisted by a genial sidekick (Laz Alonso) who walks in with doughnuts. But the precinct is grotty even by police standards. What’s wrong with the place? You don’t have to wait long to find out. Just 12 minutes in, this overheated psychological thriller noir delivers an almighty plot twist. Like the movie, it’s more ridiculous than interesting.

Despite its B or even C-movie approach, Detained is given a bit of weight by an intriguing performance by Cornish. It unfolds almost entirely in the police precinct, where Rebecca is told she was found passed out behind the wheel at 2am. A cyclist has been reported missing and forensics are examining a bloodstained dent on her car. She watches on video as the guy she picked up in a bar gives a witness statement that she was driving under the influence. Right about here things slide into absurdity.

In the end, there isn’t an ounce of credibility in the plot, and total suspension of disbelief is required to buy into its concept of an elaborate criminal network of con artists. The closest Detained comes to getting under the skin is that hours later, you might slap your head with exasperation as the sudden memory of yet another implausibility pops into your head.

• Detained is on digital platforms from 30 December.