User reviews

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Intense and thought-provoking film that really stuck with me. The performances are brilliant, especially in portraying the emotional depth and turmoil of such a difficult subject.

It's a tough watch, but an important one, especially today when online interactions and dating are even more common and risky than back in 2010 when this film released.

Initially, I was a bit disappointed with the ending, but over time I realized it was actually quite fitting. It doesn't offer easy closure, but instead reflects a more practical and realistic path toward healing. The story is a huge eye-opener and a reminder of the dangers lurking online.

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!

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")

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.

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.

A teenage girl (Liana Liberato) is targeted by an online sexual predator (David Schwimmer).

What makes this story great is how real it is, how emotional, and to some degrees how gritty. It is not like the sort of sob story you might see on Lifetime, but something that may be real. We have Clive Owen torn between sexualizing people and the protection of his own daughter. He never actually sexualizes, of course, but we see the temptation is there and it is one his business partner freely accepts.

And that is the beauty of the story. It is not just the story of a young girl and her dealing with what happens to her. It is also a critique of society at large. We can condemn a man who preys on children over the Internet, and at the same time live in a society that sees women as sex objects and sells clothes by using models who do not wear any...

The U. S. education system must be a garbage if the majority of its adolescents makes feel so bad to their classmates with a bullying so big as for they commit suicide (or trying). Furthermore, parents are unable to communicate assertively with their children ... Their society appears to be fine, but it is full of cracks.

For another side, great movie, great acting of the principal characters, over all Liana Liberato snd Clive Owen.

I watched this movie on a whim when I saw while flicking through something to watch on my streaming service. My goodness. This a must watch for parents, and a very, very good film on it's own. So many lines that you will resonate with, both as a young teen and as an adult, the story is so well woven but it's the dialogue between parent and child in the film that really makes it so realistic. I can't explain it without spoilers so I'll just leave it to the first time viewer but this a film that, despite being released in 2010, still has immense relevancy in this internet age, and really does a fantastic job in actually showing the realities of modern parent and child relationships vis-a-vie the internet.

Just like the other reviewers, this was a very hard watch. As a S. A. survivor, this was incredibly triggering. However, this needs to be shown to all girls starting at 7th grade, IMO. A friend of mine was groomed in this same way and this type of incident reverberates through the community and for a lifetime. I'm impressed that David Schwimmer took this on. This story felt so true and sadly, for many, this is so true. In movies about this subject, I feel they "Hollywood" up the victims and the assault. This movie is completely realistic to how a victim reacts and thus becomes a survivor. Thank you so all of those who created this film. It's heartbreaking, but we need to see it. The world needs to help young girls and protect them so much more than they know.

First of all let it be clear that this is not a horror movie so IMDb shouldn't categorize it that way. It could be a horror story for the parents of one of those victims, that I agree, but as a movie it is not a horror. It's a crime drama about a young girl getting groomed by a sexual predator. Parents should be aware that their kids are far more advanced in technology than they are and so they should monitor on which websites their kids surf as we all know the internet is full of dangerous people. This movie is about that, a good modern story with a good cast. I was surprised the director was David Schwimmer, as I've never been a big fan of him as an actor. I guess directing suits him better. Trust is a B-movie but not a bad one. And certainly good to enlighten some clueless parents about the danger of chatrooms and so on.

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.

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.

I don't understand the rave reviews. Do they feel they need to give 10 stars because it was about sexual abuse? It definitely wasn't a bad movie and I see the points they were trying to make. But how about using a child who isn't from the most perfect family imaginable? So loved by everyone around her, yet she falls for this? Highly unlikely. Especially with the strong bond she had with her own father. Found the scenario quite unrealistic.