Trust (I) (2010) User Reviews

A powerful and effective film

[write_mich · 7/10 · 11 September 2010]

I had the privilege to be among the first in North America to screen David Schwimmer's latest film last night at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), with cast members including Clive Owen and Catherine Keener (two of my favourite actors) present as well as the director, Schwimmer himself.

Before the screening, the former "Friends" star provided some valuable context for the film, sharing his personal connection to the topic. It was enlightening to learn that he himself is a dedicated advocate for survivors of sexual assault/abuse and has spent a great deal of time working and interacting with the families impacted, because the film was executed with such a sensitivity and deep psychological understanding around the difficult topic.

Before delving into my review let me just say upfront (for those who are quickly trying to decide whether or not to see this) that this is a good movie, and yes you should see it.

I also went into this film not knowing its rating and I can assure you, that while the subject is very heavy and there are some disturbing scenes and some violence, there is nothing here so sexually graphic that it is too uncomfortable to watch - even my husband who I would consider to be a "sensitive" viewer did not find the film to be graphic.

"Trust" is the kind of movie that relies heavily upon the plausibility of its dialogue and the believability of its actors. If the script was poorly written or the innumerable emotional scenes poorly acted, the whole thing might have been a disaster for Schwimmer.

Instead, Kenner and Owen turned in Oscar-worthy performances that invited viewers into their home, their marriage and their suffering. Under great direction, Owen led his character through a roller-coaster of emotions that was accessible to viewers, as we shared in his character's progression through anger, grief and understanding.

Not to be overlooked, and the true star of this film, is the young Liana Liberato who plays the daughter and the victim with such authenticity that it was at some times painful to watch. Not enough can be said about how incredible she was in this film - I think the career she has ahead of her will speak for itself.

Of course, the best acting in the world would have been wasted if the screenplay was weak, but with Robert Festinger (who wrote the screenplay for "In the Bedroom") on board, you can expect a convincing storyline and dialogue that felt real.

At times, the film comes dangerously close to being cliché or cheesy like a television drama or TV movie-of-the-week. And this is almost inevitable when trying to make a cautionary drama with the underlying objective of raising awareness around a societal issue. However any time you feel the film beginning to veer down this path, it is rescued by the incredible acting and you forget once more that you are watching a film. Even the ending which I thought at first was a bit overly sentimental, quickly took an unexpected and dark turn that, for me, restored its credibility.

This is a powerful and very important film, not just for families but also for David Schwimmer's career because now the sitcom actor-turned- director has established himself as a serious and very capable dramatic filmmaker who is not afraid to take on challenging material.

I'm not sure how well "Trust" will do outside of the film festival or if it would appeal to mass audiences, however I do hope people see it, especially those who care about this important issue.

I would definitely watch a David Schwimmer film again in the future - he has legitimate talent behind the camera and should he make more marketable movies in the future, he might actually make it big as a director.

I give this movie a solid 8 out of 10. Congratulations to Schwimmer and your team on this great accomplishment. And, as a woman and caring citizen, thank you for telling this story.

This film reveals the ongoing threat...

[DrDarkness · 8/10 · 27 June 2011]

I belong to the first generation which was born in the middle of hi-tech inventions and evolving Internet. I was teased at school and felt that my parents didn't have enough time and understanding, so the Internet was like another world with kind strangers and new friends. They didn't judge me by my looks, they didn't know anything about my past and so on.

I saw this movie yesterday and it hit me down, hard. I could understand the need to be loved and the fear to be left alone. I was one of the victims of a sexual predator, but the fact that they hunted via Internet was either hushed up or people didn't simply know.

This film isn't about happy endings or life being fair. It's about a family, a life of this day, different faces of love and last but not least, surviving.

I want to thank everyone who made this film. I really hope this shakes the parents to look after their kids when they are online. Does it happen in the mall or via Internet, they are talking to strangers. Some of them are okay, some of them are not. Teach them to be cautious -Internet can be a great thing for lonely people, but at the same time it's the most dangerous jungle.

Painful but necessary

[zep42 · 8/10 · 19 August 2011]

As a father to a teenage girl, and one soon to become one, this movie was hard to watch. Took me 3 days to finish it, it was simply to horrifying and disgusting to witness how those sick bastards do their thing.

Now when that is said, I really value this movie. It is important and necessary. It is an eye-opener to all 'tweenie' and teen parents.

This movie should be mandatory in the treatment of pedophiles, to make them realize what they really are doing to their victims.

Finally I'd like to give full credit to the cast for outstanding acting, and to David Schwimmer for his courage to make this film. You did a good job David!

A must see film

[lpolin55 · 6 April 2011]

This movie deserves nationwide distribution. It is a riveting story and although difficult to stomach at times, it's a MUST SEE for kids, parents and teachers.

I saw this movie last night with my Cinema Society and was appalled to hear that the movie was pulled from distribution.

Are we such a sick society that opts for violence and science fiction movies at the expense of a life altering film as Trust. David Schwimmer is to be applauded for tackling such a disturbing subject matter. The acting was superb- Clive Owen, Catherine Keener and Viola Davis did a superb job.

The crime in this movie beyond the obvious is that such an important film will not be seen by all the people in this country that need to see it.

A well made film that is not enjoyable to watch

[rabbitunleashed · 7/10 · 8 March 2013]

This film was utterly devoid of entertainment value. It was hard to watch, anti- enjoyable even. Its a black, depressing, bleak, grim film. It's like a roller coaster with only low points.

Why I rate this film a 7 is through its production quality, good acting and notably, its ability to powerfully convey it's messages. It shows a plausible story of a naive girl, meeting someone (a peodophile) online, which then leads to a chain reaction utterly destroying her and her family.

It would probably scare the hell out of any teenage girl and increase her weariness of stranger danger.

The truth does not always set you free

[sharky_55 · 7/10 · 3 October 2015]

It would have been easy to bump Annie's age up or down a few years, either to explicitly spell out the crime or to blur its boundaries. It would have been even easier to make Charlie a little older, a little less handsome, to really steer home the message. David Schwimmer resists this temptation, because his close experiences working as an advocate for rape victims and their families inform him. It's not always so clear cut, the abuser is not going to make his approach with clear signs of shadiness and evil. This message may be startlingly clear for most adults that watch this film, but for the 14 year old Annie, it is a difficult reality to face.

Liana Liberato would have been about 15 during filming, and it is a crucial element of her character. Too young, and it is unequivocally a horrifying act of abuse, too old, and the boundaries are blurred and audiences might react like Will's boss does. The film starts off like any teenage set film would; with corny shallow siblings, a cool mum that shouts profanities, a caring but slightly overbearing dad, and of course the rather cringe-worthy school gossip scene that has cliques and parties and a whole world of murkiness that parents want to prevent their child from diving into for as long as possible. Schwimmer could have done better here in the world-building and thus create a bigger impact later. He mistakes risqué in the teen girl dialogue for authenticity, when in reality it is rather unbearable, and the best friend is sorely underused, but rather prodded into scenes in order to further the plot. There are signs of societal enabling that show little tack; Will's boss admires a young waitress hungrily, and later is predictably less sympathetic to the news of rape than Schwimmer would like him to be. There's also the explicit advertising industry that Will works and is forced to re-evaluate. At times it seems he is old (and his son exists solely to point this out), and out of his depth in the increasingly profane new world. Finally, the setting of the school is shallow at best, which makes the whole sub-plot of the cyber-bullying website feel unnecessarily cruel and contrived.

There are three great scenes which convince me that Trust can handle this type of issue with maturity and nuance rather than being ham- fisted and insensitive. The first is Annie's confrontation with Will in her room, where the two ideal's clash and he is forced to heartbreakingly retreat when it is clear that she is still convinced of Charlie's genuine and loving intentions. Liberato makes this agonising, because even as we disagree vehemently (as Will clearly does and tries to persuade her), we are saddened deeply that any person would do this to a 14 year old, and even worse, do it so well that she refuses to admit the manipulation. Schwimmer is respectful of her perspective, which is why it is that more heartbreaking when she finally realises what she has been the victim of. It has a much more emotional effect than the screaming matches of Keener and Owen, which seem to be a more artificial conflict created solely to drive Will's increasing madness and hunger for revenge. Still, Lynn's ambitions are motherly, caring and good; she knows that the path ahead is through healing, not anger or vengeance. That paves the way for the second scene, the penultimate talk beside the pool. Many dramas have this type of talk, the reminiscing of older nostalgic times where life was safer, warmer, more cheerful. Clive Owen makes this one work because of his tragic performance where the hardened, protective and raging father crumbles and begs her forgiveness for not shielding her from this harm. There are no offers of a bright happy ending, but one with understanding and healing in time.

The final scene is of course that last haunting segment, where Schwimmer uses the found footage hand-held style to present to us the real life of Charlie. Again, it would have been easy to make him haggard, or a creep, or not handsome. It would have been even easier to end with his just arrest and prosecution, maybe even Annie striking a last blow in her testimony. But instead we are dealt a chilling, harsh blow. This man exists somewhere in society, and is even a teacher with daily correspondence with similarly aged kids. It's a bleak reminder that these things happen all too often, and are often more complicated than they may seem. I admire David Schwimmer for tackling this issue with this sort of maturity and emotional impact. It's not perfect, but he hits the right notes where it matters.

lesson-of-the-week movie

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 22 March 2015]

Annie (Liana Liberato) is a Chicago suburban teen with loving parents Will (Clive Owen) and Lynn (Catherine Keener). She's constantly online chatting with Charlie from California. First he tells her that he's actually 20. With her parents away with her older brother visiting a college, she decides to meet Charlie (Chris Henry Coffey) who turns out to be much older. He talks his way into having sex with her. Her best friend happens to see them at the mall and tells the teachers. FBI agent Doug Tate (Jason Clarke) is called in. Will is angry and Annie is in denial. The family struggles under the incrimination.

David Schwimmer has a well-made lesson-of-the-week movie. He hits the audience over the head on how sexualized everything is. This is not a subtle movie. The constant drumbeats do wear me out. It's a message movie and Schwimmer won't let you forget it. Liana Liberato is compelling in the lead role. The hotel scene is creepy as hell. Everybody puts out their emotional best. I wish Schwimmer has a more sophisticated style but it's good as a cautionary tale.

A scary good movie that people need to see

[GiftedGuyOnline · 10/10 · 24 March 2011]

I went in thinking it would be a standard-issue, after-school special type of movie that would be most popular when it airs on Lifetime. I'm sure a lot of you may hesitate to go see it because you are thinking the same thing. YOU NEED TO SEE THIS MOVIE.

It's real. It's damn real. The acting across the board is phenomenal. The girl playing Annie in the movie is relatively new on the scene, but she nails it. Perfect range of up and down emotions.

I know a lot of you have seen To Catch a Predator. That show seems scripted and fake when compared to this film. Trust gives you an inside view of what something like this can do not only to a victim but also to the victim's family. Clive Owen and Catherine Keener are spot-on and deliver outstanding performances.

Scary good is the best way I can describe this movie. You'll walk away knowing you just saw something important and you'll immediately want to take steps to make sure it doesn't happen to you.

Please go see this. Tell your friend to go see it. This is definitely an R-rated movie that every parent should take their teenager to go see. The world would be a better place.

good if slightly clichéd look at Internet predators

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 27 September 2015]

David Schwimmer does a decent job of directing "Trust," from 2010, with a marvelous cast consisting of Clive Owen, Catherine Keener, Liana Liberato, and Viola Davis.

Owen and Keener are Will and Lynn, who have a boy about to go off to college, a beautiful 14-year-old daughter, Annie, and a little girl. It's very important for Annie to fit in at school -- she wants to be liked by the "in" crowd. One night she goes to a party and becomes uncomfortable when she realizes the girls there are much more sexualized than she is. She's still a virgin.

Annie has been in a teen chat room talking to a guy named Charlie for a couple of months. She believes him to be 16. He confesses that he lied and he's really 20. Later, he says he's 25. He comes into town to meet her, and they meet in a mall. She is shocked when she sees him -- he's closer to 35.

Charlie convinces her to go to a motel with him, and he rapes her. She tells her best friend, Bridget, about her experience, and Bridget goes to the school principle. The police are called, and Annie has to submit to a rape kit, the FBI is brought in, and her parents are informed.

Annie is livid with her parents, drops Bridget as a friend and becomes increasingly more angry and sullen, especially when she is unable to talk to Charlie -- he hangs up when he realizes his call is being traced. She doesn't believe he's a predator For Annie, this is a boyfriend - he tells her she's beautiful and special, he gets her.

Meanwhile, Will is torturing himself with his obsession over his daughter's rape and is determined to find "Charlie" and kill him.

A somewhat predictable film enlivened by an excellent cast. The standout is Liana Liberato, who captures every emotion of Annie's. Most impressive is while she's begging Charlie to get off of her, her face suddenly changes, and you know she has totally distanced herself from the situation.

Clive Owen is effective as a loving father who believes that he's failed. He's preparing an ad campaign for the "tween" market showing teens looking very provocative. He becomes aware of teens being oversexualized and the predators who seduce them, playing into their loneliness and insecurities.

The end of the film is quite chilling.

"Trust" shows that along with the virtues of technology, there are a lot of sins, and parents have to have the wiles of a snake and constantly monitor their kids. Anybody can pose as someone else, send fake photos, say all the right things, and take away a young girl's innocence.

I have to agree this was a little on the Hallmark Movie side -- it's one of those films where if they hadn't assembled the cast they did, it could have been a TV movie. Still, it was a good watch.

A film that HAS to be seen

[judeepolds · 9/10 · 24 June 2011]

I watched this film without any expectations. To be honest I saw David Schwimmer was involved and let my head devalue the film before it even started.

Boy was I wrong. Trust had me hooked from the first few minutes. The subject matter is controversial to say the least but I feel it has been handled very well here. In no way does it feel exploitative, in fact in some areas I felt it was almost like a documentary.

Extremely hard to stomach in places it does not overdo the shock factor as it may have done in other hands. The cast are superb, there is not as I can see a weak link anywhere.

The only problem with this film is it's certification. Rating it R means that the people who should be watching it can't. IMHO this film should be given to every high/secondary school worldwide as Schindler's List was.

If you have kids watch this film. Them watch it with your kids! This is a subject that needs to be out there and I commend Mr Schwimer for having the guts to make it!

Coming of Age in Times of Lack of Privacy in Internet

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 26 November 2011]

In Chicago, the fourteen-year-old Annie (Liana Liberato) lives with her family in the suburb and she has been chatting in a teen chat room in Internet with the sixteen year-old Charlie. When they get close to each other, Charlie tells that he is actually twenty years old. They schedule to meet each other but when Annie meets Charlie (Chris Henry Coffey), she realizes that he is about thirty-five years old and is disappointed. However, she is seduced by Charlie and loses her virginity to her "boyfriend" in a motel.

Her best friend Brittany (Zoe Levin) tells to the school counselor about the relationship of Annie with an older man and the teenager is sent to medical examination. Her parents Will (Clive Owen) and Lynn (Catherine Keener) are visited by the FBI Agent Doug Tate (Jason Clarke) that is in charge of the investigation. The family is torn apart and while Lynn supports her daughter, Will becomes obsessed to find the sexual predator.

"Trust" is a good film about coming of age in times of lack of privacy in Internet. The theme is very important in the present days when the youths disclose their lives in social networks and chat with strangers on line. The film is good, but could be better and better. Clive Owen is a great action actor, but as a family man he is miscast. Catherine Keener and Liana Liberato have great performances. There is a downfall in the screenplay in the end, turning the dramatic plot into a melodrama. The conclusion with the school teacher Weston and his family is excellent. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Confiar" ("Trust")

An authentic and insightful look into the lives left behind after an Internet Predator strikes.

[foamhands713 · 9/10 · 28 June 2011]

David Schwimmer is not a man that I have a lot of faith in, not even to make a decent soft-comedy, so he is perhaps one of the last people that I would trust to properly make a movie about sexual abuse. Yet with Trust he has not only proved himself unfairly maligned by such low expectations but has also shown himself to be a director deserving of only the highest. This is not just an improvement on his previous effort, or a shaky, potential-filled first-step into the realm of serious film-making. It is, at this point, one of the strongest dramas of the year (It is billed as a 2010 production but didn't release anywhere until late April this year).

To synopsise the film's story is to do the film a drastic dis-service, not because of any great twists or revelations that it may contain (though I found that there was a great sense of intrigue involved in the experience; seeing just how far and in what direction the film would go), but simply because on the surface it seems like such a bleak and yet strangely banal premise: Girl meets Internet and the two fall quickly in love, it is a symbiotic relationship and each builds the other up to higher and higher points when, one day, her Internet meets his and she is blinded by the bright, stunning storm that unfolds when their new information hits her own, blinded until it is too late, blinded until at last and unfortunately Girl meets Boy and everything goes dark. In other, more straightforward terms, it is the same story that we hear again and again on the news each night, that of the young girls that fall prey to the planets new predators, the virtual wolves, the pedophiles.

And yet this is exactly what sets this film apart from the other examples of 'techno-terror' that are shooting up, now more rapidly than ever. There is no attempt to dress the premise up like I did then, no false poetics and no twist-of-genre. It is instead a straightforward examination of what actually occurs inside the houses and minds of these victims and, to my mind, it is baffling that this 'real' look is the unique approach but not that it is also the most effecting by far.

A lot of the films emotion stems from a foundation laid in the opening act; we are given a glimpse into the life of this family before the incident and they are us. There is a very strong sense of verisimilitude present in almost every scene; it would have been easy for the film to stray into cliché movie-family territory or fall into the oh so prevalent trap of mishandling contemporary technology but thankfully Schwimmer not only avoids these pitfalls but leaps them in a single bound.

Even though it is Clive Owen and Catherine Keener that are on our screen we just see 'the parents'; in Clive we see a father who loves his kids and not an amalgam of starring roles (though I do have to admit that I did think at times, 'Is Schwimmer using Owen as a kind of sexier simulacrum of himself,' but perhaps that is just me). As stunning as those two are in their roles, and I would say that it is likely Owen's best, it is Liana Liberato's portrayal of central-teen Annie that truly steals the show. Again, given the material, her role could so easily have been played with an alloy of equal parts evocation and exploitation but she really humanizes the character; we understand her thinking and feel for her even if what we feel isn't always positive. To think that this is virtually a debut performance is amazing (she has only otherwise done small roles in straight-faced TV procedurals to date) and I would not be surprised to see a lot more of her in the future.

Though I would be surprised, and somewhat disappointed, to see more of Schwimmer because he is just so damn good behind the camera that any time spent in front from now on will seem as if a waste. His direction excels on every level; not only does he show a lot of creativity in his approach to the material - All SMS's and IM's appear on screen in pop-up, colour-coded font which not only relieves us of the very tired ' Dictate everything you type' approach favored by the industry so far, but it also provides a stunning layered effect to a lot of scenes, where-in what the character is writing either adds to or spins the on-screen action in a new direction - but he also manages to deliver the base emotions with a certain kind of ease: when the characters are nervous you bite your nails, when they are angry you steam, when they're devastated you feel just as cold and alienated and when they cry so do you. It sounds like such a simple and obvious thing when you put it down on paper and yet there are few films that truly achieve it like this one does.

It is then an entirely devastating ride, one behest of even the whimsical visuals of Peter Jackson's Lovely Bones, and one not recommended for the squeamish of soul, but it is also a great one and one that I would whole-heartedly recommend to those who are up to it. If movies are about escapism then this one delivers and if they are about getting you to feel something, doubly so. Who knew Ross had it in him all these years? O me of little faith.

The simple act of trusting runs deep and dramatically

[napierslogs · 7/10 · 11 August 2011]

"Trust." That's what the online sexual predator keeps telling 14 year-old Annie (Liana Liberato). "Trust me." Problem is, she does. Even when he keeps lying about his age, lying about where he lives, and then taking her to his motel room. This movie is about the stupid things that 14 year-old girls do. Although Annie is relatively careful she doesn't understand what qualities good people have and what qualities evil people have.

Charlie, as Annie comes to know him, acts exactly like we would assume savvy sex offenders would act. He tells her she's pretty just when she's at a time that she needs to hear that. That simple word allows her to trust Charlie even though he's almost as old as her father.

While Annie trusts Charlie, she does not trust her parents or her friends. Her father doesn't trust her, and just as bad, he doesn't trust the FBI in running the investigation against her violator.

In three simple acts, we first follow Annie's dangerous relationship with Charlie, then the legal consequences, and then the emotional fallout when her father no longer knows how to protect his teenage daughter. I say simple, because it's actually pretty refreshing to have a drama which doesn't include more needless drama.

I've commented before that I'm never sure if text on a screen is the best way to display chat-log driven films but here they showed it over top of other scenes, a very efficient way to introduce us to the character of Annie and the relationship of Annie and Charlie at the same time.

Most people would assume that Annie's actions are pretty stupid (they are) and completely unrealistic, but sadly, they're probably mostly true. And, more specifically, that's what this is about: A father's inability to understand what his teenage daughter is going through, what her reactions are, and what she needs to move on.

"Trust" features a stellar cast, a dramatic story told simply and straight, and effective scenes portraying exactly what they're supposed to. The elegant Catherine Keener is as good as always, and Clive Owen shows that these are the types of roles he should be doing. Even supporting characters in minor roles were given enough that you cared about them. We already know Viola Davis is a scene-stealer from "Doubt", and there's a decent chance that we'll get to know Spencer Curnutt after this small, but good, film debut.

It's cool knowing that I am no longer a stupid 14 year-old girl who watched "Friends" and laughed at Ross's over-the-top mannerisms. And now I get to keenly watch a cogent drama subtly directed by David Schwimmer.

with a tent of realism but get old and very cliché

[hhcosmin · 4/10 · 10 July 2011]

first of all i must say that my vote of 4 does not mean that the movie is horrendous or too bad but it's my take so here it goes. it started with that all American happy, have it all (iphone, Mac, ithing). the boy is leaving for college, the girl is a teenager and is going to a good school, with good kids that you see in American family movies. dad works for big company, mom also works. girl chats using her apple arsenal to a guy. all is sweet and happy. then she finds out that the guy is older and older and she then accepts to meet him. then she anyway meets with him and they make almost consensual sex. and then dad goes nuts and everything goes into a drama where father is so much affected. a big drama is made on this. the father, the mother, the detective, the school shring start agitating around the girl. to me it got old after the first where i felt that all was so exaggerated and to much around the 14 years old girl. she was tricked by an older man and that is not something nice but i felt that too much fuss was done because of all this unfortunate happening. all is boringly plausible to the fact that the detective is not able to find out more about the pedophile, even if he could get months of internet chat records. the girl had photos of the guy but this somehow is not used. this is realistic... if you believe the all happy American familily image, however things are too much dragged on and too much accent is put on the educational side. may be a useful movie to see for a parent or a teenager but it gets sloow and grinding too fast

An Emotionally Disturbing Reality of Internet Obsession

[Marjeez · 24 June 2011]

Trust is an important film. This isn't fantasy, this is reality. For whatever message Trust has, it's also about the emotion, pain, and internet obsession.

If Trust was to be used towards educating, it isn't geared towards the victims, but rather the people around the victim. The victims won't be watching this film (for the subject matter), and it was a smart move to portray the daily lives of teenagers realistically while still showing the pain that occurs when situations like this happen. It's something special when you can believe and feel what is happening on screen and the creators of Trust did a terrific job keeping it true. There are other subjects involved, such as how internet communication is "breaking" the formalities of communication, how easily predators can manipulate people by knowing their strengths and weaknesses, and how you may not actually know your loved ones as much as you think you do. There are many subject matters thrown into Trust, and they all play out realistically to the point where the viewer will most likely relate to them.

The performances were outstanding and, even if this is a 2010 film, should be nominated at the next Academy Awards. Newcomer Liana Liberato steals the show with one of the greatest performances I have seen portraying a broken teenager. In a year where there were a few outstanding performances by young actors (Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit), I think Liana Liberato's underrated performance was the best of last year. Clive Owen gives his most dramatic performance to date and Catherine Keener has a few brilliant moments. Chris Coffey, who plays Charlie the predator, gives a creepy (if brief) performance in the vain of Stanley Tucci in "The Lovely Bones".

David Schwimmer (Ross from the show "Friends") did a surprisingly good job directing Trust. He got the most out of the actors and, considering the serious subject matter, had a bleak, disturbing tone to the film. The combination of a happy neighborhood/school/family worked well with the one black spot which is the daughter, the victim. After the assault happens, you see the world change and everyone's life becomes a little darker.

Should you watch Trust? Yes. The performances and the story alone make it one not to miss. There are a couple of moments where you may shed a tear. It's haunting for any age or gender. These crimes DO occur, and they happen often. While it's not a film you watch with friends; it's not an enjoyable film in the least, Trust is just one effective tale that may stay in with you for a long time.

Please, fire the marketing department

[vsdobbs · 7/10 · 31 October 2011]

I thought this was a pretty good film and well worth watching. However, it is NOT what's promised on the back of the DVD box, which makes it out to be another TAKEN.

This is mostly a respectful, thoughtful film, that explores all sides of the issue at hand. It's far more complex--and a better film--than what the marketing department is trying to sell. There is no "cross country journey to revenge", which is good because instead we're given solid performance (especially by the young Liana Liberato, who I'd never seen before) and real situations; true drama.

I absolutely would recommend this film to friends, I just wouldn't let them read the blurb on the back first.

TRUST (David Schwimmer, 2010) ***

[Bunuel1976 · 7/10 · 3 November 2013]

I probably would never had watched this had it not been recommended to me by a close friend of mine; in hindsight, the film's obscurity strikes me as very odd in view of its topical subject matter and the star leads and director involved. In fact, I chose to watch it on the occasion of the latter's 47th birthday and was surprised to find how well made and sensitively handled it turned out to be (incredibly enough, even the renowned film critic Roger Ebert gave it the full four-star rating!) given Schwimmer's comedic background; incidentally, I never subscribed to the FRIENDS phenomenon but did occasionally catch snippets of the series on TV and the character of Ross was always the one I liked best. What could easily have fallen into the trap of hysterical melodrama is saved by credible and committed performances all round: following his daughter's ordeal, Clive Owen starts sinking ever deeper into the hitherto unknown world of Internet chat (cleverly displayed throughout as on screen intertitles) – reading the explicitly intimate chat logs; assuming the identity of girls in chat rooms to lure out lurking perverts; spying on a registered sex offender in his area, etc. Although Owen does get to unwisely and erroneously vent his increasing rage in public once, thankfully the film does not pander to commercial expectations by resorting to any implausible TAKEN-style retributions on his part. The cast is rounded up by Catherine Keener as the mother who, as she looks after her convalescing daughter, starts fearing for her husband's sanity; Viola Davis as the daughter's caring therapist; Jason Clarke is the resilient investigating cop who grows to resent Owen's initiatives; and Chris Henry Coffey as the enigmatic object of the daughter's affections. I have purposefully left relative newcomer Liana Liberato, who plays the beleaguered daughter, for last because her remarkable performance is at the centre of the film which renders even its most far-fetched aspects (she keeps defending her assailant for the longest time) believable. Aside from any artistic and technical merits it surely possesses, TRUST emerges a thought-provoking viewing experience as it explores the possibility of 'misunderstood' young people connecting to complete strangers via social networks while revealing the potential deceit and threat of impending danger posed by such websites and eventually the devastating effect that compromising (or compromised) photos going viral has on the victim and her peers. The pressure exerted by the latter on overprotected children (arguably fuelled by exceedingly sexy adverts on which Owen himself works in the film) and the dilemma facing parents in having to grapple on a daily basis with the simultaneous problems of their offspring (where one kid is bound to take precedence over the other) are also identified here as catalysts for trouble at best and a recipe for disaster at worst. Having said that, it is small wonder that the film bears that particular title since it is the basis of every successful relationship - be it filial, fraternal, amicable, professional or romantic – and, indeed, most of these are shattered or, at least, tested at one or more points in the film. In one final bold move, TRUST offers no happy resolutions for anyone and only reveals the true (and shocking) identity of the villain underneath the very end credits!

All parents should watch

[bob-rutzel-1 · 6/10 · 5 December 2011]

Teenager Annie, (Liberato), goes online and gets involved with Charlie (Coffey). Her parents Will (Owen) and Lynn (Keener) believe that it is harmless from what Annie tells them. It's not.

I rarely read the DVD boxes and believe this was going to be a kidnapping with a father like a Mel Gibson, Liam Neeson or even a Clive Owen going after the perpetrator and bringing the daughter safely back. This was not the case here.

Annie is hooked into the relationship and wants no part of her parents or the FBI catching Charlie. It takes quite a while in here for Annie to have an epiphany.

The dialogues are good, but in real life I believe the communication by the parents with someone like Annie would have taken on a more pertinent, caring and information-laden kind of thing. The emphasis for most of the movie was on trying to catch Charlie leaving Annie out on her own believing all that Charlie had instilled in her. Hence the conflict between her and her parents. This emphasis seemed to lose the focus where it should have been, on Annie, and not on Will and the FBI trying to catch Charlie. This could have been a movie about what not to do when your daughter gets raped. And, actually it probably was. Trust only goes so far and is hard to get back when destroyed.

Again, the dialogues were good, but as I watched there were many questions/issues that were not addressed. You may have the same questions.

There was an uncomfortable moment in the motel room with Charlie and Annie, but it was well done without getting erotic or crazy. I suppose it had to be shown to get the full impact of a problem facing the youth of today who go online to meet people; and then there are the parents who are the last to know when something goes wrong; and who blame themselves for not seeing what was in front of them all the time. Trust only goes so far.

After Annie's suicide attempt, I am not sure I buy Will's explanation of trust when he refers to Annie losing trust in herself for the first time in his eyes. Maybe you will agree with him. I didn't. I felt she lost sight of what was right and what was wrong even at that young age. Again, the lack of communication by the parents, and questions/issues not addressed play heavily into this.

Liana Liberato did an excellent job in here and she will be a force to reckon with against the current popular forces of today being the Fannings, Steinfelds, Lawrences, Breslins and the like. 6/10.

Violence: Yes. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Sexual content: Yes. Language: Yes.

This film will tear you in half.

[itrevorallen · 10/10 · 27 July 2022]

I found myself on the brink of tears 3 times throughout this film. Never have I seen a movie more powerful outside of maybe 1 other case. This film displays the division of family attributed to r*pe better than any I've seen; while simultaneously portraying the absolute evisceration of a young girls life.

I was initially taken back and almost appalled at the use of a real 14yo girl for this role. But her acting was flawless and I truly believe she gave this film more credibility than otherwise possible. This film is ugly. This film is sad. This film is hard to watch. It's wicked. But it's so necessary, and despite its R rating and content inclusion I genuinely believe this film should be shown to at risk youth.

Trying to send a message as opposed to entertaining

[Scooby52 · 6/10 · 25 April 2013]

It's hard to watch this film as an entertainment piece, given the upsetting nature of the storyline that could be lifted from any true newspaper article.

A young girl talks online to a boy and when she does meet him he's not how what she seems. I was thinking reading the back of the DVD when I rented this he'd be some psycho stalker but the actual plot is a lot more shocking, a 35-40 year old man who preys on vulnerable under-aged girls in an attempt to seduce them.

The film plods along nicely and keeps the viewer interested the entire way, and certainly sends a strong message to parents about what can go wrong if your child is giving unsupervised internet access.

The performances are solid and the tension between the family members keeps the film engaging, but overall while watching the film it often feels more like you are watching 'Guide to monitoring your child's internet use' special and the conclusion, while realistic, is somewhat unfulfilling. It's an decent enough film, but not for everyone's tastes.

Very realistic...From someone who has experienced it.

[moderndaydelilah89 · 9/10 · 21 November 2012]

Coming from someone who has experienced this very thing...this movie is very realistic. When I was a teenager, I was very much like Annie. I was lonely, depressed, felt very awkward, and I looked to the internet to give me attention. I spoke to many men far older than me, and it is absolutely terrifying how similar the script of Annie's conversations were to my actual conversations. I felt physically ill throughout the movie, because it was all so similar. Anyways...this movie really struck a chord with me....It is a MUST watch for parents and teens, because it can happen to ANY TEEN with access to a computer and cell phone, don't think it can't. Teens are very good at hiding their technological activities...I know I certainly was.

Movie showing the complexity of the subject

[BloedEnMelk · 7/10 · 14 January 2012]

The subject of this movie is a very complex one. Basically the storyline is about a young girl, who falls in love with a guy she met online. When she finds out that he's not who he says he is, she still goes out to meet him only to find a man over twice her age. But, he sweet-talks her into a hotel room where they have sex. When, after that, he stops answering her calls, she gets upset. Her best friend finds out and brings it all in the open. Result; an FBI investigation, a very angry father and a very confused teenager.

Now let me start with the fact that any adult who lures a 14 year old into a hotel room to have sex is a sexual predator and I would definitely call that sexual abuse. A young girl like that is very vulnerable, and such men do not give a **** about what happens to her afterward. They only think about their own screwed-up sexual adventure. In my mind, that is simply sick. Now; to start the complexity of it; was it rape? Not according to the victim, she only started to see it as rape after she found out that she wasn't the only girl he had sex with. Did he abuse her? Yes. So was it against her will? Well, although she got talked into it and wasn't much relaxed, it still was something she sort of wanted to do. She didn't struggle, she didn't say no, she voluntarily went with him, undressed herself at free will. Afterwards, she wanted to develop a relationship with him and got upset when he ignored her. In my mind, that is not rape. Was she abused? Yes. Damaged? Yes. But she was not raped.

This movie also deals with the totally logical reactions of her father. Of course he goes insane with anger. Initially he only sees her as a victim of rape, which is enough to make any good father want to kill someone. But it gets a lot more confusing to him when he finds the chat-reports. He finds out that his little girl has had all kinds of sexual chats. So not only did some pervert had his hands on his daughter, the image of his innocent little girl also gets shattered, which is extremely difficult for him to deal with.

The only one Annie can really talk to is her therapist (a great performance by Viola Davis), who is the only one not judging her. Which is a good thing, as Annie is very confused and protecting 'Charlie'. At one point Annie says: "I don't understand, some girls at school had sex with half of the football team, why is my boyfriend such a problem? He loves me." And there you have it, Annie desperately wants to be loved, and all the reactions around her drive her more towards such a predator. She doesn't face how Charlie has abused his power over her, and she longs for someone to compliment her and tell her 'how special she is'. Not only does she (initially) not feel raped, she also feels like she is 'a dirty girl', especially after all her privacy got out of the window and not just the FBI but also her parents have read her chat history. Which must feel like a huge humiliation to her. Later, at school she gets bullied over it. Annie's loneliness grows, until she can not take it anymore. Which is a very sad moment in the movie. At the same time, it's rather logical. She is slowly growing up but too young to understand what she has gotten herself in to, she sincerely thinks she loves Charlie and he loves her, and after having voluntary sex, everybody starts to interfere with her, doubting her, taking away all the privacy she has and all the self respect she still had left.

And that is among the damage such a predator can do, and why there are laws protecting teenagers against sexual contact with adults. When I was her age, I had a severe crush on a teacher. If the teacher had wanted, I would have turned to melted wax. But for an adult to have sex with such a young person, there is always something wrong. The two are never equals and the teenager can not understand and oversee the psychological consequences. Even if it is voluntary, this is simply abuse of power, a total disrespect towards the adolescent. Such people should be stopped. Now if you focus on the girl, how do you handle such a case? Of course a parent does and should get angry, but at the same time we should try to understand the girl's point of view. She shouldn't be victimized more then she already is. The therapist does understand her, the mother tries, the father has to grow towards that point. It is all so human, and you can not simply say how those involved should act and react. The only one who is really to blame is the predator. It is made clear in 'Trust' that such predators often know all to well what they are doing. They are masters of manipulation, and there are far too many of such people around. The internet is a perfect hunting ground, they are professionals in playing into the victim's feelings. We should teach our children the dangers of such people, and make them understand the way they hunt and the words they use.

'Trust' deals with trust on several levels. It's an interesting movie with all kinds of angles for discussion. It shows that a case like this is never simple, and should be treated with a lot of care. It shows the difficulty of such a situation, and the complexity of all emotions involved. Although it is IMO too much of a mainstream movie, it is still well done.

One of the greatest movies ever made.

[PWNYCNY · 10/10 · 3 April 2011]

Elaborating on this movie is a challenge because it can easily be summarized in one word: great. This movie may be one of the best movies ever produced by Hollywood. The story is straightforward, the acting is stupendous and the themes addressed are timeless. Without revealing the details of the story, this movie is about change - sudden, painful, uninvited, without warning. It's about what happens when someone has to grow up, fast; when innocence is stripped away revealing the seamier side of humanity. It can be quite a shock. The movie also deals with the nature of crime, victimization, and rage. Indeed this movie is effective because it tells a story that everyone can understand and because what the movie dramatizes is actually out there. Yet, despite the disturbing nature of the story, its presentation is far from morbid. Instead, it suggests that people have the strength to survive overwhelming crisis and remain emotionally intact, which is why this movie deserves recognition and respect.

A sharp film about a situation that increasingly threatens young people.

[filipemanuelneto · 6/10 · 17 October 2022]

I was impressed with this film, not only for the script, but also for the performances of some of the actors. Despite being released over ten years ago, the film couldn't be more current today. Our young people and teenagers, who grew up with computers and technologies, face them in such a friendly way that they are often unable to see the dangers they hide. Parents have the thorny mission of imposing limits and rules on their use, of informing and advising... but let's be honest: which teenager is really willing to listen to parents and their rules?

The script begins by introducing us to an ordinary, upper-middle class family. While the parents work and the eldest son prepares to enter university, the youngest daughter is trying to integrate into the school's popular girls' circle after making the school volleyball team. She's an ordinary teenager with the insecurities of many other girls... until she starts chatting online with an unknown guy. She realizes he's older, but it's only when they meet in person that she realizes he's already in his thirties. Even so, she continues the relationship and the growing intimacies lead to a sexual involvement, and to a family crisis when the parents discover, and try to find the identity of the seducer, since sexual abuse of minors is, of course, a crime.

Well, I think I have to start by saying that I've seen, in real life, several cases and situations similar to the one in this movie. It is increasingly common for teenagers to maintain online dating and relationships, often without meeting in person, having more or less spicy conversations through social networks. It's a new form of sexuality that has emerged from the Internet and that can really mess with the head of a more influential girl. And it is not so rare for them to find, by chance, an adult with whom they maintain this type of contact. He may, or may not, tell about the age difference, and they may, or may not, accept it, or even use the situation as a form of rebellion towards their parents. But the fact that it is increasingly common does not mean that it is acceptable. It is a dangerous situation, where young people can get excited and reveal too much of themselves (habits, customs, erotic photos or videos, etc.) to potential sexual predators. These are dangers that can really worry a parent. And a stroll through social networks, such as Instagram or TikTok, is enough to see how teens are exposing themselves. In addition to making a very believable portrayal of a situation that could be real, the film explores well the relational conflicts between teenagers and her parents, and the consequences of what happened in her school, in their friendships, and with herself.

The cast is generally good and does a positive job. The director is effective, but not brilliant. The best performances come from the young Liana Liberato, who managed to be convincing in the role and give us a good interpretation, and also from Catherine Keener, very good in the role of a perfectly distressed mother. Clive Owen is good enough, but he doesn't strike me as the best actor for the role, as he made the character overly brutal. Chris Coffey and Jason Clarke's performance is decent, but basic.

Technically, the film is satisfying in that it does everything it needs to do, but it doesn't go beyond that. Cinematography is decent, but not above standard. There are no effects or a really interesting soundtrack, but the editing was well executed.

Brat Girl, Inept Parents

[wvfempwolford · 1/10 · 30 December 2020]

On the one hand, the story is a microcosm of modern teen life dominated by unsupervised social media. On that level, the film succeeds. Where it fails is with this very unlikable, entitled, brat girl , combined with very weak, enabling parents. At many points in the movie, the girl needed strong parent figures dishing out some reprimands, restrictions, and discipline. No way should a child be allowed to talk to parents as she did. Instead, you get parents blaming themselves, wringing their hands while the girl lashes out at them. If this is parenting today, we have lost our children.