Trust the Man

With over 100 feature films released in year, it can be hard to keep track of all the titles worth tracking down and checking out. Last year I saw a preview for Trust the Man before Thank You For Smoking, but with the great number of other flicks coming out in wider release, I forgot about it until this weekend. After watching it, I wish I had forgotten about it completely for there is almost nothing redeeming about this cinematic catastrophe. The cast has no chemistry, the writing and directing is amateurish, and cinematography is murky.

However, the picture's biggest fault is the tone. Trust the Man drifts uneasily from dirty sex comedy to tepid romance to boring drama from scene to scene, making for not only an extremely frustrating viewing experience, but an uncomfortable one as well. It's as writer/director Bart Freundlich didn't know what genre he wanted his movie to fall under during shooting, thinking that he would decide later in the editing room. Apparently that didn't work out either as it seems there are numerous scenes missing or incomplete. Other scenes go on far too long(the scenes with Billy Crudup in his car are perfect examples). There wasn't a single scene in Trust the Man I found effective, funny, or well done. The plot is a huge mess, gaping with holes. The only reason I give it a 1 as opposed to a zero is I reserve zeros for only those films that I find morally offensive/repugnant or without any artistic value whatsoever. 1/10

One of the significant tragedies in modern film is the coupling of one of our most powerful actresses with an insipid filmmaker.

Here, we have her placed in a film he made, playing an actress with an insipid husband — a writer. He has a friend who is there simply to say goofier things, and thereby make the film appealing. As with all date movies, the separated couple is reunited by a public confession of love that is accepted (and happily ever after...). In this case, that confession literally happens at a play Julianne's character is in. So there's the simple, mechanical narrative fold.

As a quirky, inconsequential film, its not so bad, about in the middle of its cohort. Our goofy pair, anchored by Billy Crudup who is observed by Gyllenhaal (and in another position, Shandling). But no one really comes to film simply to tread water in the flood of desperate romance. We come for some advance. With films that advertise themselves as trivial, a trivial advance will do.

Nothing here does that, and because the centerpiece is a woman who is patiently wasting her life, the message is clear.

So I will recommend that you not watch this unless you are prepared to get depressed.

Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

I missed this one at last year's Toronto International Film Fesival, but have just seen a preview prior, presumably to its Toronto release.

For me live-in lovers Billy Crudup and Maggie Gyllenhall delivered sparkling performances far more sympatici than the other couple -- the married pair of Julianne Moore and David Duchovny who also did their job well, but it's the antics of the former two that keep this film alive and moving.

Without wising a spoiler on you, I was in a genuine state of suspense over whether or not this movie would have a feel good ending.

The behaviour of these four characters is not really rooted in reality -- who expects this of a comedy? -- but their quirks and good qualities are sufficiently close to it speak for the times.

There were several good laughs and a couple of good running jokes which didn't pall on me.

I found Trust the Man a likable effort which should prove popular in spite of what I know will be some critics' objections for occasional in-your-face crudities

Trust the Man Mr. Black's Grade: C+ Opening Date: possibly June, 2006 Look at this cast! Billy Crudup , David Duchovny , Ellen Barkin , Eva Mendes , Julianne Moore , Justin Bartha and Maggie Gyllenhaal .

Trust the Man is a well written comedy about two men fighting to save their relationships after a bunch of drama, cheating, and trial separations. Unfortunately you could 'see' the writing all over the big screen. I didn't believe for a moment that these folks were real people, just actors reading a script. You could almost see the smirk on their faces before they said their funny lines - there was nothing spontaneous about it at all.

Part of the problem was the all-star cast. Now I understand bringing in Julianne Moore. When you are the director, ya got to put your wife in the picture - but why Gary Shandling? Don't get me wrong, Gary is a funny, funny guy. But the moment he's on you say to yourself, "hey there's Gary Shandling, time to be funny" and he's in a pretty small role. The same thing happens when Ellen Barkin hits the screen.

This is a business, and they needed to 'sell' this movie, which they did, to Fox Searchlight for possible release next June. I'm pretty sure that director Bart Freundlich has some famous friends - he is one hell of a nice guy, very friendly and extroverted. If I was making low budget movie and knew Gary Shandling, I'd ask him to be in it too. But the laughs didn't come when they should have, and the casting really got in the way.

The only thing this movie has going for it is the acting talent. There is no story, no arc, and the characters take an incredibly shallow view on relationships. Just like the other 2 B. Freundlich movies, it is all talk and no substance. Boring and has nothing to say. Tries way too hard to be funny, and all the forced jokes just fall flat. Since IMDb is forcing me to write 10 full lines, I will continue by saying that Julianne Moore is luminous as always, David Duchovny is very likable, Billy Crudup is over-the-top and annoying (scenery chewing much?) and Maggie Gyllenhaal is wonderful. She is the best thing in the movie and rises above the weak material.