Trust

Trust

Drama

2010

Rated: R

Running Time: 106 minutes

Starring: Clive Owen, Catherine Keener, Viola Davis, Liana Liberato, Jason Clarke

Directed By: David Schwimmer

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Outline

A teenager girl is targeted by an online predator.

Review

It must be tough to be a parent these days, and I am sure 15 years from now it will be even tougher. No longer is it safe for kids to walk to school. No longer is it safe for them to go trick or treating by themselves. No longer is it safe to walk to the corner store. To make matters worse, our houses are no longer safe for them. Our children are being stalked by predators through the computer, and that is where we find ourselves with this film. Trust is the story of a young teenager named Annie. She is targeted by an online predator, and it deals with the after effects of being a victim.

With internet bullying being all over the news these days, this is a very relevant film. I know this sounds cheesy, but it could be shown to parents about the evils of the internet. We are introduced to Annie, and she seems like a normal everyday teenager. She likes hanging out with her friends, she worries about making the volleyball team, and she enjoys evening meals with her family. That is all about to change. As the film plays itself out on screen, the viewer is treated to her instant messaging conversations with a boy (or so she thinks) on line. His name is Charlie, and they chat about inane things that only teenagers can talk about. They build a friendship over a couple of months and become closer and closer. As this is going on, Annie is attending high school, and has to deal with the everyday pressures of being popular and trying to fit in. The more and more she struggles with the social cliques, the further she relies on her on line relationship with Charlie. The film is interesting and wholly believable. Annie’s parents are oblivious to her computer usage and what she is doing on it. They have a cursory interest, but let Annie do her own thing as they fully trust her. Where the film falters is with some of scenes to establish the family unity. The parents have conversations with Annie about buying a less sexy bra. They eat family dinner and goof around, Leave it to Beaver style. They have a solid curfew that they make the kids adhere to. They are trying to make the parents out to be caring and diligent, to further bolster the power of the on line predator, but it is a little too much for my taste. As Annie struggles to find her place in the world, Charlie is always there to tell her that she is beautiful and unique. The perfect family is about to be shattered by a person they don’t know, and a daughter that they thought they knew.

Annie is played by Liana Liberato, and she was excellent. The transition she goes through from innocent teenager to hapless victim is shockingly real. She is young, she is emotional, and she works well in every situation. She is happy, sad, calm, angry, and all at the right measures. Her father is played by Clive Owen, and he also turns in a fine performance. He is a dad that is distraught after his daughter is exploited. He is a man on a mission to track down this on line predator, and it might tear his family apart in the process. Catherine Keener is not to be forgotten as the mother, as she was also quite good.

This film teaches you that anyone could be on the other side of a computer, and that is a creepy feeling. It also touches on all the things that parents need to worry about these days. It touches on teenage self esteem issues, safe computer usage, teen sexuality, teen depression, and the aftermath of being taken advantage of. The film is not a feel good drama that will make you smile. It is very much a film of extreme darkness when everything seemed to be in the light. It shows you that the victims often seem like the bad guys, when they are the ones who have been wronged. It shows the emotional struggle that a family goes through when they have been violated in some way. It shows you that sometimes love is not always enough to see you through tough situations. This film will show you the darkness and depravity of humanity, and that it is more prevalent than you can imagine. In conclusion, this is not a fun film to watch because the content is so dark. It is wonderfully acted and so shockingly believable that it should not be missed though.

Directed by Ross, I mean David Schwimmer. This film is shot very well. It connects with the kids, through the instant messaging screen shots. It will connect with the parents, because it shows the struggle of raising kids in the computer age. Schwimmer is able to take dark subject matter and not exploit it, which is very hard to do. This film is emotional and bleak, and yet it tells a story that everyone needs to watch. If this film helps one kid out from being preyed upon, then it has done its job. This was a great film and that is a testament to Schwimmer’s ability as a director.

I give this movie a recommendation as it will show you that trust can easily be broken.

T Factor + If you like realistic drama then this could score higher on the rating scale.

T Factor – If you do not like depressing material then this could score lower on the rating scale.

IF you liked this film reel recommendation: Catfish, Elephant.