Film Review: Trust (2010)

I first heard about this movie when the rating it was given by the MPAA was appealed, with director David Schwimmer (Ross from Friends, if any of you didn't know) claiming the movie needed a PG-13 rating instead of an R so that young people could see this movie and be made aware of the danger of online sexual predators. Because it's not like old people who no understanding of the internet whatsoever have been hyping up this danger to us since we were old enough to reach a keyboard, or anything...

I have a thing for Lifetime-esque social issues dramas, and had seen that my sister had watched this on my Netflix account and decided to watch it myself. I was actually pleasantly surprised. The movie revolves around a fourteen year old girl who falls prey to an online predator, and does a great job of showing the grooming process and how he's able to manipulate her into believing his progressively sketchier lies, and how and why she falls for it. I will admit though, the five times he lies about his age (getting progressively older each time) becomes somewhat comical. The aftermath of the attack encompasses the majority of this films running time, and focuses on the emotional fallout for the entire family, not just Annie's.

Catherine Keener and Clive Owen are fantastic, as they always are. This movie seems to compress it's preachiness into specific scenes (which might make you roll your eyes a couple of times) but most of the movie is truly about the family and the emotions they feel regarding the assault. Artistically David Schwimmer did a pretty good job, the directing is superb and saves this movie from being associated with typical after-school-special-fare. I would definitely recommend it.

Artistic Value- 4.
Entertainment Value- 4 (if you like this sort of more novel-like structure story. If you're into sci-fi or big Hollywood blockbusters, this movie will be torture for you).