Featured Audience Ratings

• Bruce B

  
  Good Story about young people and modern day internet problems, ie facebook, my space if you have a daughter under 17 might pay to watch this. 4 stars

• Aditya G

  
  Advanced technology and the infinite doorways opened by the ever expanding universe of "online chat" have worked wonders for humankind. For one, this expansion has actually led to a contraction. The world is getting smaller by the minute, what with instant… More
  Advanced technology and the infinite doorways opened by the ever expanding universe of "online chat" have worked wonders for humankind. For one, this expansion has actually led to a contraction. The world is getting smaller by the minute, what with instant texting/communication being possible across two sides of the globe at the click of a button! Since its inception it has seen a steady growth in terms of usability and convenience. Only every boon brings with it, a curse; its dark flipside thanks to the immensely huge gamut of mindsets or mentalities of the human mind. So while we have a reason to rejoice, with the age of the internet creating stronger bonds, we also have an added responsibility of keeping the monsters at bay! The monsters that are created when technology falls in the wrong hands; the hands of those countless teenagers who are at their most vulnerable and make internet chatting their way of life; get so deeply involved, they start trusting their 'online friends' more and tend to disregard their real flesh-and-blood relationships! And of course, the other hands of the actual monsters; the sexual predators, waiting to prey upon innocent young minds to make them their next victim after carefully grooming them and successfully and irreversibly altering their mindsets to frightening extremes....! [img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ZBgfdUoIDJo/UCE2Kbah8iI/AAAAAAAAC04/MMD_4Pv0CBE/s608/vlcsnap-2012-08-07-20h43m49s96.png[/img] David Schwimmer, the star of the popular sitcom "Friends" directs "Trust", an intense drama revolving around one such vulnerable and innocent teenager, emotionally lured into the ruthless world of online communication. Only the girl in question, 14-year-old Annie (Liana Liberato) is far too innocent and practically starts living in this world. From the countless members in chat rooms, she seems to have befriended 'Charlie', a 16-year-old guy from California, a volleyball player at his school who has managed to win her favor by offering her valuable volleyball advice, since she is aspiring to make it to the school team. And she finally does make the team, thinking it is this guy's advice that helped her! Their chatting relationship grows, moves on to the phone. Fuelled by the desire to be one-up among her peers, the desire to be accepted or recognized amongst some obnoxiously fake, trend-conscious schoolmates and the constant rebuking of the same by her loving but protective parents Will and Lynn Cameron (Clive Owen and Catherine Keener respectively) who insist she should "be herself" rather than put on a sham personality like some other wasted girls in school, finds an instant connection with Charlie who apparently is the "only one who understands her"! But as days go by, Charlie makes newer confessions about his age; saying that he is 20, and later that he is 25. While Annie is upset that he lies to her, she finds herself growing increasingly attached to him. The time comes, to finally meet the guy face to face. Unfortunately it also means coming face to face with the shattering truth about the guy Annie has put her entire trust into. The guy is nice and gentlemanly, but he is actually in his mid-30s! But it is too late before Annie realizes he is actually a sick paedophile whose only intention behind all the sweet talk and support was to get her into a motel room and have his way with her; the intention which ultimately reaches its chilling consequence in one of the film's most disturbing scenes! [img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-pxqgQN_88z8/UCE2Hlthy6I/AAAAAAAAC0g/z9oA05fUbOM/s608/vlcsnap-2012-08-07-20h44m41s111.png[/img] Schwimmer himself is a director of a Rape Treatment Center which is actively involved in helping rape victims, in particular the victims of child rape and date rape. It is no surprise then, that he handles this rather sensitive subject of statutory rape with an original touch. There is no doubt that the man knows his characters, including the family of the victim, very well and brings out the angst that anyone in their place would feel quite accurately, barring a few minor exceptions. The way Annie lets herself get moulded like putty in Charlie's hands and the way she becomes infatuated is devastatingly real; it is a sad reality which ultimately ends in heartbreak in most cases, but there has been nary a change in the situation and a number of young girls are losing their sleep over it! So is the helpless situation of her parents who don't really want to imprison their child in the shackles of "rules" but are also not aware of where to draw a line when it comes to giving her freedom. They are blissfully unaware of her daughter's tryst with this mysterious stranger, and never had any idea it had gone any step further beyond harmless chatting. Andy Bellin and Robert Festinger write a screenplay rich with some clever scenes that do a mighty good job of giving an insight into Annie's psyche torn apart by the situation. On one hand, she thinks her parents are overdoing it by "making a federal case out of it..literally" (just as the FBI steps in to investigate) and that she simply had consensual sex with a nice and gentle man. But this is clearly not what she actually feels in her heart. It is evidently the thirst for social acceptance speaking, for she even cites the examples of her school mates who have "slept with half the football team"! Only later in a subdued confession, to her counselor, Gail (Viola Davis), about the happening in the motel room, Annie mentions that when the act began, she slowly felt distanced from it; as if she wasn't really a part of it, but was watching the scene from a distance. It is only when Gail explains to her the interpretation of that feeling, that a first hint of doubt appears in Annie's mind and she suddenly walks out on her, dismissing the conversation! [img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-JVRIlvxs5aI/UCE2RU5ro6I/AAAAAAAAC1Y/iyr2OO699JM/s608/vlcsnap-2012-08-07-20h49m22s148.png[/img] Then there is the very important scene when an emotionally drained Will is questioned by his boss Al (Noah Emmerich) as to why his work was suffering. Will finally confesses that his daughter was sexually assaulted. Al is initially shocked but to Will's utter disbelief, Al heaves a sigh of relief and seems to relax as soon as he comes to know that Annie "wasn't attacked". "It could've been much worse", Al says, while a dumbfounded Will continues to stare at him! Goes to show the difference in mindset or the apathy or simply the ignorance when it comes to Statutory rape (with consent by a minor) against a forced attack! While "Trust" succeeds, for the most part, in providing a considerably gripping picture of how the incident has an impact on the family relationships and behavior, there are other parts where the script falters and gives birth to some blatantly obvious holes. An FBI agent, Doug Tate (Jason Clarke), brought in to handle the case comes across as totally clumsy. How else does he then, after telling Will Cameron that he has the entire chat transcript from Annie's computer that is 'top secret' right now as far the case's progress is concerned, and refuses to share it with Will, manage to carelessly leave his briefcase containing all these transcript files for Will to easily flick them off him!? And apparently their man has already sexually assaulted three other minors in the past year or so. He shows the photos of past victims to Annie to find if she "knew them from somewhere" (although they are all from different states), a camp or something, because he feels there is a pattern or a common link! It doesn't make any sense! [img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Oq2exXY94OM/UCE2RoztdOI/AAAAAAAAC1g/jgr_rrdh5dU/s608/vlcsnap-2012-08-07-20h50m11s98.png[/img] And if the man has been absconding for more than a year why hasn't a sketch expert been called in to get an approximate face description of the guy? After all, three other girls could testify and an ID check could be done based on a best facial description, or at least a manhunt could be launched. And whatever happened to CCTV cameras in the mall that Annie met him in? Why weren't they used? Why doesn't Annie's supposed best friend Brittany (Zoe Levin), who spots Annie in the mall with an elderly stranger, and even senses something amiss, run after her to get to the bottom of it? Such obvious questions come to mind but are never answered. Instead, Doug Tate makes use of an essential 'thriller' ingredient; an arrangement to trap him via a ruse by trying to get him to talk for a duration long enough to know his whereabouts! Maybe tracking down the perpetrator wasn't the real agenda of the film and that's fine, but then why show even a half-baked attempt at finding him? [img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-TKDZtZ0m0iQ/UCE2SpeK7TI/AAAAAAAAC1o/BbjnnEojr_k/s608/vlcsnap-2012-08-07-20h57m11s228.png[/img] A lot of other holes and some melodramatic plot points render "Trust" a slightly hurried and amateurish job. Like Will becoming excessively obsessed with the whole thing, makes finding the guy and killing him his personal mission! All the lurid visuals of his daughter being assaulted make him angrier with each passing day! At one time, he even bashes up an innocent man at a volleyball game, thinking he is the assaulter! It is a part a tad unconvincing for an otherwise tangible character. The acting is excellent for the most part especially by Liana Liberato, who is an epitome of an innocent teen trying to mix with her peers and trying hard to be in the game, although appearing confused at times, not knowing the difference between right and wrong. At the same time, when the disturbing reality of what happened to her finally dawns upon her, she lets out a cry of helplessness in a heartbreaking breakdown scene. It is a solid, uninhibited performance indeed. While hers is a realistic portrayal though, one wonders why introduce a character (albeit minor) like Serena (Zanny Laird), who is so visibly fake and vulgar, mouthing off lewd dialog with her hammy grimacing, and looks like some cardboard-cutout straight from the American Pie movies! [img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-PNtULiFUllI/UCE2MKt-QDI/AAAAAAAAC1A/dJtqPXbOFnw/s608/vlcsnap-2012-08-07-20h48m17s7.png[/img] A word about Clive Owen, who, delivers convincingly in most of the film suffers from a problem faced by many actors in the business. When it comes to extreme emoting like sobbing or breaking down, he comes off as a little forced and awkward in his delivery. This is where the otherwise dependable actor somewhat disappoints. Catherine Keener is in top form, though, as the supportive mother who would rather engage herself in healing the daughter's wounds rather than concentrate on tracking down the perpetrator. By the third act it pretty much becomes clear where the film is headed as far as its conclusion is concerned it is just fine. It shouldn't have ended any other way. Despite the obvious flaws that create some road blocks, "Trust" deserves to be seen, solely for its daringly original script, and its sensitive handling in the primary context, its well-written, likeable characters that you can identify with, some terrific acting and a satisfying culmination. Score: 7.5/10.

• Cynthia S

  
  Good job David Schwimmer! This movie deals with a side of sexual assault from a predator that most don't know about. Take it from me, it happens. It happened long before the internet came around, but the internet just made it easier. This story is a powerful one, and portrays how… More
  Good job David Schwimmer! This movie deals with a side of sexual assault from a predator that most don't know about. Take it from me, it happens. It happened long before the internet came around, but the internet just made it easier. This story is a powerful one, and portrays how it can devastate entire families. Very well done. Great acting. ..Stay for the credits. It shows a glimpse in how these sickos can be anyone in your life...a family member..a teacher..a neighbor..etc.

• Manu G

  
  What took her family years to build, a stranger stole in an instant. Very good important film! Terrific performances from everyone involved. The plot was just very well made. Scary good is the best way I can describe this movie. You'll walk away knowing you just saw something… More
  What took her family years to build, a stranger stole in an instant. Very good important film! Terrific performances from everyone involved. The plot was just very well made. 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. Go see it.! In Chicago, the fourteen-year-old Annie 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, 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 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 and Lynn are visited by the FBI Agent Doug Tate 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.

• Carlos M

  
  Schwimmer directs this disquieting drama with remarkable confidence and control over the material in his hands, never letting the plot become exploitative or trivial. He really makes us empathize with the characters, but the third act gives in to some unnecessary conflicts and the… More
  Schwimmer directs this disquieting drama with remarkable confidence and control over the material in his hands, never letting the plot become exploitative or trivial. He really makes us empathize with the characters, but the third act gives in to some unnecessary conflicts and the resolution is a bit cliché.

• Jameson W

  
  Wow! Well done film. Excellent performances all around, but especially from Liana Liberato and Clive Owen; solid directorial effort by David Schwimmer as well. Good script! What a brave film! This is such a hard topic to talk about but more so to capture on film without being too… More
  Wow! Well done film. Excellent performances all around, but especially from Liana Liberato and Clive Owen; solid directorial effort by David Schwimmer as well. Good script! What a brave film! This is such a hard topic to talk about but more so to capture on film without being too preachy. This could have been a mess but director David Schwimmer does a fantastic job of holding everything together along with his excellent cast of actors. The first half of the film was absolutely fantastic...about mid way through though some plot elements came into play that almost held this film back, but the movie stayed focused and did not lose sight of what the most important element of the story was. I thought this was really good. Hopefully more people see this film as the year goes on since it seems like not too many have seen it. I think it's one of the best so far this year and has many great performances.

• Melvin W

  
  Gail Friedman: We can't control what happens to us or our loved ones. First off, David Schwimmer did a masterful job with Trust; tackling a film that most wouldn't want to touch. The way he dealt with the subject was realistic and powerful. The content is disturbing in… More
  Gail Friedman: We can't control what happens to us or our loved ones. First off, David Schwimmer did a masterful job with Trust; tackling a film that most wouldn't want to touch. The way he dealt with the subject was realistic and powerful. The content is disturbing in itself and Schwimmer didn't try to hard to exploit the subject. He presented the tragedy as it would occur in real life, without adding elements of Hollywood tearjerkers. The material is enough to bring tears to anyones eyes and he knew that. The acting in Trust could not have been better. I'm a big Catherine Keener fan and her performance as the mother of Annie may be her best performance. Clive Owen gives a remarkable performance. You can just feel the intensity in his character rising as the film moves along. Then there is Liana Liberato. What a performance. It's hard to think of a harder role for an actress as young as she is to play. She pulls it off to perfection.  The movies subject is as relevant now as it has ever been or will ever be. With the rise in social networking and the amounts of kids with access to the Internet; not to mention all the sick fucks there are in the world, stories like this are inevitable. Trust shows two sides of this disturbing relationship. First there is the obvious one; the predator. The guy who goes online, searching for young girls that he can manipulate easily. Then there is the actual victim. It is hard to watch a young, innocent girl fall for this guys trickery. And it is actually happening. What would make a girl get in a car with a guy 20-some years older than herself? Is the next generation losing self-respect, or just their common sense? This is an underlying theme. It doesn't directly ask these questions, but as a viewer I can't help asking them because I see way too often in real life.  Trust is an extremely hard movie to watch at times, but it is also a compelling drama that glues your eyes to the screen. It is impossible to look away. After the movie ends and the credits start to roll; Schwimmer shows us the most disturbing and chilling part of the whole movie; also, the most important part of the movie. We have this preconceived theory that all sexual predators are easy to spot; that they are uneducated and outcasts. They couldn't be our neighbor or co-worker because that guy is normal. With this last little handheld camera work, Schwimmer shows us that it could be that "normal" guy that you know. It could be anyone.  This is the most important movie of the year and is a must watch, despite its disturbing material. 

• Mike S

  
  David Schwimmer, known best to us as "Ross" in <i>Friends</i>, gives us unquestionable testimony here that he's not only a competent actor, but also a force to be reckoned with behind the camera as well. In this unsettling and incredibly powerful drama,… More
  David Schwimmer, known best to us as "Ross" in <i>Friends</i>, gives us unquestionable testimony here that he's not only a competent actor, but also a force to be reckoned with behind the camera as well. In this unsettling and incredibly powerful drama, about a young girl falling victim to the malicious intents of an internet predator, we get insight to an occurence that is terrifyingly real and sadly not uncommon. Especially as it could happen to anyone not careful enough about their social activities on the web. Stories of this kind are very hard to get right, but Schwimmer gets his message through, without ever being too obvious or oversimplifying. It's all handed very naturally, which in the end separates it from the clichés of the subgenre. You may therefore watch this without any concern of feeling preached to. Because where other, less ambitious films may take the easy way out, this one delves far more deeply into the subject as a whole, as well as the emotions of its intricately written characters. A great beginning no doubt, to a directing career that is bound to have a very bright future ahead

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"People get hurt. There's only so much we can do to protect ourselves, our children. The only thing we can do is be there for each other when we do fall down to pick each other up."</i> A teenage girl is targeted by an online sexual predator.… More
  <i>"People get hurt. There's only so much we can do to protect ourselves, our children. The only thing we can do is be there for each other when we do fall down to pick each other up."</i> A teenage girl is targeted by an online sexual predator. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> Trust is a laundry checklist of everything that could happen after an underage teen is raped by a man 20 years older than she. If you infer an ironic tone, you'd be right because presenting all the possible reactions and actions to a rape is not always dramatically the best action. Too much already. Director David Schwimmer of Friends fame does a credible job establishing an authenticity about the rape but less so when showing the family before the act as so happy as to be almost nauseatingly unreal. Fortunately Schwimmer has Clive Owen as the father, Will Cameron, and Catherine Keener as mother, Lynn Cameron. These veterans could make ice feel warm, and Owen as the troubled father anchors the film in credulity. What saves this film from cliché hell is the dogged adherence to authenticity about the circumstances of the violation, from the universal ambivalence of the teen, Annie (Liana Liberato), with her neuroses about her looks and her desire to be favored by the in-crowd to her cluelessness about how ordinary people cope with anonymous predators. But the real dramatic action comes with Owens' spot-on take of father Will Cameron, whose ad-exec life has had him in control of his life and his family. Not so after the rape, which leaves him vulnerable to anger with his daughter and revenge on the rapist. It's Will who makes us think about our own reactions to such a tragedy, torn as we might be between justice and vigilantism.

• E.J. B

  
  Trust is one of the most difficult movies you will sit through. It is made by people who understand the subject matter and the psychological states of the kinds of people involved in such a tragedy. The horror of the situation, the real damage that has been done, isn't so much… More
  Trust is one of the most difficult movies you will sit through. It is made by people who understand the subject matter and the psychological states of the kinds of people involved in such a tragedy. The horror of the situation, the real damage that has been done, isn't so much the act of rape - which is despicable enough - but what comes afterward: the mental anguish, the self hatred, and the inability of others to really understand what you must now live the rest of your life with. A long way from his Ross Gellar days, director David Schwimmer directs this film with a deliberately slow pace and shots that don't necessarily sympathize with any one character. Some shots take the perspective of Annie, the young impressionable 16 year old girl who is raped by a pedophile, but the bulk of the movie passes over with an objective gaze. It sympathies with few people, including Annie. Music is barely used, and the staging of the scenes keeps the action at the forefront, with most of the mise en scene blurred into the background. This is the, IMO, the best way to shoot this kind of film. We will automatically sympathize with the family because of what has been done to them. But Trust is not so much after sympathy than to show how negligent parenting, teen loneliness, the internet, the disturbing nature of sex offenders, and childish innocence all contribute to this heartbreaking outcome. There is no easy resolution. When you're dealing with a rape victim, the damage has already been done and the only thing left to do then is to treat that woman with as much compassion as you can and hope they can move past it. Forget about the criminal; if he's caught, he's caught, but that doesn't change what happened. The film leaves you wondering, could this have been prevented and if so, how?

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  Cast: Clive Owen, Catherine Keener, Liana Liberato, Jason Clarke, Viola Davis, Noah Emmerich, Brandon Molale, Nicole Forester, Noah Crawford, Chris Henry Coffey Director: David Schwimmer Summary: After curious and vulnerable teenager Annie (Liana Liberato) falls into a trap… More
  Cast: Clive Owen, Catherine Keener, Liana Liberato, Jason Clarke, Viola Davis, Noah Emmerich, Brandon Molale, Nicole Forester, Noah Crawford, Chris Henry Coffey Director: David Schwimmer Summary: After curious and vulnerable teenager Annie (Liana Liberato) falls into a trap set by an online sexual predator, her family begins to disintegrate, uncertain how to cope with such a devastating tragedy. Utterly consumed by rage, her father (Clive Owen) sets out seeking vengeance. My Thoughts: "I knew not only watching this film but even trying to review it was going to be difficult. It is a subject that hits very close to home for me. I see how some wouldn't understand how naive Annie could be and is in her feelings or I should say mixed feelings. The film is perfectly titled 'Trust'. Cause that is why she is feeling all those mixed feelings. Here is a person she shared a lot with, who was giving her the attention she was wanting and not receiving elsewhere, and most importantly made her believe he loved her, so therefore lies the 'Trust'. Being a young girl at the ripe age of thirteen is a confusing time as it is for a young boy as well. So when it takes Annie the time it took for her to understand what has happened, I am not surprised and not at all in disbelief of it. It of course seems obvious to most, but most viewing the film are not young thirteen year olds who have been in this position. All she was feeling was correct and that is what is so hard for her father to understand. This film shows just how easy it is for a young girl or boy to be misguided into trusting someone that you know they shouldn't. Annie refuses to see truth because she doesn't want to accept what has happened or accept the role she had in it. That just goes to show you how easy it is for a 'Charlie' to manipulate a young girl and play on her insecurities and make her feel bad for how she's feeling. This film is no after school special or life time flick. This is a real film in the sense that it does not sugar coat the details or the truth in the situation. It is played out in the most realistic way which is refreshing. The ending credits is a great reminder of that. The acting is fantastic by all but especially by Liana Liberato. She was so excellent at portraying all the emotions. She's a great young actress. The film is a nightmare where the monster is very real and that can very much come true, which makes it even more frightening. Kudos to David Schwimmer for making such a raw and honest film. He did an amazing job."

• Michael S

  
  Powerful, emotionally vulnerable performances are the heart and soul of David Schwimmer's "TRUST," an outstanding realist drama dealing with online deception and the "rape" of a young teen. In the wrong hands, a premise such as this could have been… More
  Powerful, emotionally vulnerable performances are the heart and soul of David Schwimmer's "TRUST," an outstanding realist drama dealing with online deception and the "rape" of a young teen. In the wrong hands, a premise such as this could have been exploitative and preachy, but Schwimmer plays it straight and focus' most on the father (Clive Owen in award-worthy form) trying to deal with the situation, the victim (Liana Liberato) not quite grasping if she was the target of a predator or not, and the mother (Catherine Keener) who seems to keep her feelings hidden untill she unleashes them on her husband in volcanic ways. This all leads to a riveting family dynamic that make up a bulk of the film and is played out in the most intense and unpredictable way. The film never resorts to shlock tactics (such as an "inevitable confrontation"), but instead opts for a fitting ending with a last-minute kicker that doesn't undermine everything that came before it. Trust is one of the best films of the year. Schwimmer followed up his last (comedic) directorial effort with a much darker, disturbing one, and in turn has become a filmmaker worthy of praise. Keep an eye out for what he does next.

• Shawn E

  
  A horrific drama that educates on the dangers of sexual predators. It's made quite clear that the person you may be chatting to online may not be who he/she says to be, and the after effects of a sexual assault can be sickening. The acting and story is mostly decent, but the… More
  A horrific drama that educates on the dangers of sexual predators. It's made quite clear that the person you may be chatting to online may not be who he/she says to be, and the after effects of a sexual assault can be sickening. The acting and story is mostly decent, but the ending is a little abrupt.

• Liam G

  
  If nothing else, ''Trust'' is a very interesting film. However, it only really tips into the darkness of the subject matter and some of the lines feel over-the-top. The performances though, are terrific and you do feel for the characters. It isn't quite as… More
  If nothing else, ''Trust'' is a very interesting film. However, it only really tips into the darkness of the subject matter and some of the lines feel over-the-top. The performances though, are terrific and you do feel for the characters. It isn't quite as dark as it thinks it is, but director David Schwimmer does prove he has the potential to be a great director in a few years from now.

• familiar s

  
  The screenplay hasn't been exploited here by undue exposure despite of its subject having enough scope to do so, but is that all? Doesn't it require a sound script and smooth execution? I wonder if the prime sequences of the movie were executed the way they were with the… More
  The screenplay hasn't been exploited here by undue exposure despite of its subject having enough scope to do so, but is that all? Doesn't it require a sound script and smooth execution? I wonder if the prime sequences of the movie were executed the way they were with the mere intention of making it appear closer to real-life. It wasn't preachy, but I felt it to be pretentious. I'd have appreciated the avoidance of unnecessary exposure if the movie was interesting enough. Unfortunately, this one left me quite unsatisfied.

• Unknown H

  
  Honestly I did not think I was going to like this movie half as much as I did. Although it deals with mostly untapped themes (of child sex crimes, internet freaks etc) I thought it was masterfully dealt with and on the part of Clive Owen and Liana Liberato, some of the best acting I… More
  Honestly I did not think I was going to like this movie half as much as I did. Although it deals with mostly untapped themes (of child sex crimes, internet freaks etc) I thought it was masterfully dealt with and on the part of Clive Owen and Liana Liberato, some of the best acting I have seen in a long time. Also, respect to David Schwimmer for taking on the film, it has certainly put him higher in my books as a director.

• William D

  
  "Trust" is a brutal story about a 14-year-old girl raped by a middle-aged Internet predator. It was directed by David Schwimmer. When I saw the name of the director, I said to myself: "There must be two David Schwimmers." No. This is that David Schwimmer: Ross… More
  "Trust" is a brutal story about a 14-year-old girl raped by a middle-aged Internet predator. It was directed by David Schwimmer. When I saw the name of the director, I said to myself: "There must be two David Schwimmers." No. This is that David Schwimmer: Ross from the wildly popular TV sitcom "Friends." He turned himself into a film director, which is news in and of itself, but he also chose the most challenging subject matter imaginable on which to build his directorial reputation. This demonstrates a very impressive level of guts. I am also happy to report that Schwimmer delivers, immediately setting himself apart as one of the most talented directors in Hollywood. Schwimmer's breakthrough is reminiscent of what we've seen from Ben Affleck in the last few years. Like Schwimmer, Affleck was very famous but not taken seriously. Almost everyone with a brain surely snickered when they heard that Affleck wanted to direct a serious film. Lo and behold, his first film, "Gone Baby Gone," was a tremendous achievement (on my Top 10 list of 2007). Cher also comes to mind. In interviews, she reported being in a movie theater in 1983 shortly before the opening of "Silkwood." A trailer for the movie came on. When her name appeared on screen, everyone in the theater laughed. A month or so later, no one was laughing when she received an Oscar nomination for her performance. Mark Wahlberg also comes to mind. He brilliantly succeeded in the 1990s at turning himself into someone other than Marky Mark. One could also go back to Marilyn Monroe's struggle to be taken seriously as an actress after she had become known as a blonde bombshell. It's tough to live down a reputation as a pop celebrity. Not many have done it. Add David Schwimmer to the short list of those who've tried and succeeded. *************************************************** "Trust" is no masterpiece, but it's a brave, purposeful work that explores humanity at its most despicable and magically leaves you in an ennobled place. It is not torture porn; in fact, there's not a gratuitous moment in the film. But it is unflinching. You don't see everything that happens to the girl, but you see -- and hear -- much of it. If you have difficulty looking at tragedy in the face, this is not the film for you. "Trust" is not sensationalistic at all. It was produced out of grief and the yearning to heal. I don't know if Mr. Schwimmer has experienced anything as horrific as what is depicted in "Trust," but he's got an extraordinary empathy toward all the characters in the story, particularly the girl and her father. An outstanding teenage actress named Liana Liberato, in only her second feature film, plays the main character, Annie, a very pretty but awkward, shy girl who falls in love with her Internet chat-buddy, who she initially thinks is a high-school boy. Her parents are played by Catherine Keener and Clive Owen, who gives a heart-wrenching performance as a dad blaming himself for not protecting his daughter. The first half of the film is about the girl; the second half is about her father. The film finds new ways to explore how the families of rape victims are sometimes almost as torn apart by the experience as the victims themselves. It also nicely examines the contours of this from a distinctively male point of view. Until this, I'd never really thought about what the father of a teenage rape victim must go through. I have Mr. Schwimmer to thank for helping me see this better -- and screenwriters Andy Bellin and Robert Festinger. "Trust" is recommended for anyone who values serious drama and wants to combat one of the worst -- and most commonplace -- tragedies of our time. We owe it to our kids to see this film.

• Emmanuel T

  
  The title says it all, "Trust" that's what this movie is all about. It starts off with centering on fourteen-year-old Annie who receives a MacBook pro for her Birthday. She befriends a boy through the internet who is named Charlie, he claims to be a successful… More
  The title says it all, "Trust" that's what this movie is all about. It starts off with centering on fourteen-year-old Annie who receives a MacBook pro for her Birthday. She befriends a boy through the internet who is named Charlie, he claims to be a successful sixteen-year-old High-School student, and develops many things in common with her. Both her mother and father are aware of her friend but are not constantly checking up on her, and if they do it's only once in a great while. Charlie then makes a confession that he is a sophomore student and that he is twenty-years-old. At first Annie is both shocked and disappointed, but they find a way of getting along despite their age differences. Her mother and father are not aware of this. Soon Charlie says that he has another confession to make, his confession is that he is actually a twenty-five year old grad student. Annie is extremely disappointed and angry at him, but as the last time they find a way to get along despite their age differences. Her parents are still unaware of this, and believe that he is still sixteen. A few months later Annie and Charlie agree to meet each other at a mall. When he arrives at the mall, Annie notices that he is much older then what he claimed to be, perhaps in his late thirty's or so. And now she has had enough, and is shaken to tears. But surprisingly they are still able to get along despite their age differences. This is where things take a very wrong turn. First she gets to know him more as they explore the mall. She is happy with the way he acts around her, she says that he is sweet, funny, smart, and thinks she's beautiful. What happens next is very severe...she gets into his car, they stay at a hotel, and he is able to convince her to have sex with him. Now let's get things straight! This is not a romantic film, in fact it is far away from that. But can it fall into the "love" category? Yes, actually it can. While Charlie may have lied to Annie, and Annie may have been hurt. Can't some of us say that we've had this experience before? The experience of being hurt from love? Annie believed that what she had with Charlie was love, and she does believe that throughout the film. Even AFTER she had been hurt, of course she soon learns that all he wanted was sex. We will feel every feeling that the film, attempts to give us. These feelings are all thanks to the acting in the film, the script, and the emotionally moving plot. Let's start with Annie who was played by Liana Liberato. This girl was only fifteen when she played in this film. She plays an uncomfortable role and she is also having to go through very dramatic scenes, and not only dramatic but disturbing as well. Can you imagine how uncomfortable any young fifteen year old girl would have acted in this movie? Well not Liana Liberato, that's for sure. It's as if this whole experience in the film is really happening. Oh, and of course another great role in the movie is from Clive Owen, who plays Annie's father. The way he brings his angry emotions together through every scene, is amazing. It's as if this is all really happening to her, and he is very angry by it. Unfortunately, while this film may be powerful in some ways. It does not give us enough of what the story is supposed to be. The plot claims to be centering on Charlie and Annie. But as the story moves on...it starts to be about Annie and her father instead. It's as if the entire movie suddenly became a father-daughter story, for some this will be a relief from the disturbing moments, and for others this may just be disappointing. But, still this is a film in which we should all watch, because it reminds us to be careful with the Internet. For that not everyone is who they say they are. Watch this movie!

• Mark A

  
  This viewer found the story powerfully moving as a family begins to disintegrate before our eyes after the teenage daughter is assaulted by an on-line predator. The emotions depicted were raw and quite believable and the performances unapologetic. Liana Liberato did a superb job… More
  This viewer found the story powerfully moving as a family begins to disintegrate before our eyes after the teenage daughter is assaulted by an on-line predator. The emotions depicted were raw and quite believable and the performances unapologetic. Liana Liberato did a superb job portraying the girl, as she moved through the various stages of grief. Clive Owen, Catherine Keener, and Viola Davis played her parents and a counselor and brought their A game to the production. For David Schwimmer's first film, this was one that will be hard to follow. He has set the bar high. I only had one minor quibble with the script that prevents me from giving him the highest marks, but this was pretty impressive.

• Kevin M

  
  Trust is a movie about a 14 year old girl named Annie who starts talking to a 16 year old boy from California named Charlie. Well, it turns out "Charlie" is really a 35 year old man living not too distant from her. Basically, it's about sexual predators and the effects… More
  Trust is a movie about a 14 year old girl named Annie who starts talking to a 16 year old boy from California named Charlie. Well, it turns out "Charlie" is really a 35 year old man living not too distant from her. Basically, it's about sexual predators and the effects they leave on their victims. Eventually, Charlie meets Annie in a shopping mall. From here, things spiral out of control. It's a simple premise that spins into a complex web of emotions and psychologically twisting tendencies. Clive Owen plays the determined father of young Annie, determined to find the S.O.B. who messed with his daughter. Owen's powerhouse performance is, without a doubt, his best so far. Liana Liberato is great as Annie and Catherine Keener is excellent as Annie's mom. While a subject like this can oftentimes be a bit uncomfortable to discuss, the way director David Schwimmer puts it from script to screen works so well that you're willing to endure whatever you have to to get to the end. With a script and performances this engaging, there's nothing stopping Trust from being undeniably entertaining and painfully important. It serves the subject of sexual predators as Requiem for a Dream did for drugs.

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