Why Does Jake Gyllenhaal Twitch In Prison?

Why Does Jake Gyllenhaal Twitch In Prisoners? In this article, we have discussed everything you need to know about Jake Gyllenhaal’s twitching and his other personality.

Why Does Jake Gyllenhaal Twitch In Prison?
Why Does Jake Gyllenhaal Twitch In Prison?

Denis Villeneuve’s 2013 movie Prisoners is a thrilling psychological film that deals with the abduction of two kids named Anna and Joy.

In the movie, Jake Gyllenhaal plays the role of Detective Loki and delves into the psyche of criminals. His character is the most fascinating one, and his constant tic-like-twitching makes his character a little mysterious.

The whole story of the movie revolves around two suburban family men constantly searching for their daughter's kidnappers, who were kidnapped on the day of Thanksgiving. It explores how far the characters will go in order to save the kids.

How Jake Gyllenhaal’s and Hugh Jackman’s search in some petty and extreme places affects Jake Gyllenhaal psychologically. His twitching is one of the main traits of his character.

Things To Know About Jack Gyllenhaal’s Personality As A Detective Loki

There are so many worth knowing things to know about Jake Gyllenhaal’s character as a detective loki in Prisoners, including:

  • His behavior and dressing style represents him as a closed-off person
  • His character was something more than morally straightforward
  • He twitches and blinks his eyes more than usual in the movie
  • He is cruel, determined, and aggressive, with a controlled rage
  • His character is mysterious, empathetic, and tough

Read Mexican Prisons Vs American Prisons: Difference and Comparison between the Two

Reasons Behind Jake Gyllenhaal's Twitching

In one of his interviews, Jake Gyllenhaal explained that Detective Loki himself was a juvenile criminal. He was orphaned pretty young, was always in and out of foster homes, and found himself in the Juvenile Detention System at a quite young age and Police Department in the end. This is also one of the reasons that make him the best at solving crimes, despite being so young.

Furthermore, Backstage interviewed him about how he approached the filmmaker with the idea, and he revealed that Denis and I met at a diner in New York City, and I was like: “I have this idea! I'll give it a go. And I began to do it.”

The director was originally apprehensive, but once he gained Jake's confidence, he decided to use his advice, which was eventually featured in the film. Jake Gyllenhaal further elucidated the significance of the eye twitch in relation to Loki's tic as well.

Read Can You Wear Sweatpants to a Prison Visit?

In the movie, Detective Loki has several inquiries. While he determines the next course of action, the several case branches continue to preoccupy his thoughts. The instance, in particular, is stressful, and that tension is a direct cause of his eye twitch.

Jake Gyllenhaal’s twitching and his other personality traits in The Prisoners are without a back story. It is basically a personality trait that Jake Gyllenhaal himself adopted while reading the script of the movie. What exacerbated his potentially anxious nature is Detective Loki's troubled childhood and the stress that he experienced while being a cop. And it is one of the reasons behind his twitch in the movie.

Childhood Trauma

Due to his parents' extreme abuse, social services took Detective Loki and reared him in a boy's home. The exaggerated blink is part of an anxiety response known as a tic. It is very similar to a Tourette's Syndrome tic but has more than one trigger.

Anxious tics also occur due to childhood trauma. When someone is in stressful situations and situations similar to that what they experienced in their childhood, it triggers their trauma. This upheaval sent Detective Loki in and out of Juvenile. So, when Loki is startled by yelling or being hit with something, his tics get worse.

Anxiety Response

Loki's experiences made him uneasy as a child. The detective appears on edge in the movie but maintains his composure. Due to his past, Loki may be nervous generally, but these specifics serve as puzzle pieces for Detective Loki. To reiterate, Loki's eyes twitch as a result of his tension when looking into the matter and possibly his anxiety.

PS: Why Does Jake Gyllenhaal Twitch In Prisoners?

Jack Gyllenhaal’s anxious personality and his work-related stress make his eyes twitch more frequently. The actor added this signature personality trait while reading the script of the movie to add an extra layer to the character. Moreover, being a detective, he has to ask lots of questions too, which keeps his mind preoccupied. Hence, all of these reasons combined together make him twitch.

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