Music, Style & Culture

Trust

The tone of the film changes from an almost engaging, yet horrifying, thriller to a vivid account of the after effects of internet grooming.

Released in cinemas 8th July 2011.

We've all given away a bit more information online than we should have at least once in our lives. Internet anonymity is hard to come by when social media plugins post your personal details all over the place, and, most of the time, we don't even bat an eyelid.

David Schwimmer's Trust takes a look at what happens when a teenage girl begins a relationship with what she believes to be a teenage boy through a chat room. The relationship accelerates with seemingly lightening speed until, and somewhat cleverly, we see the protagonist, Annie (Liana Liberato), being contacted by 'Charlie' via a countless number of mediums. As the story unfolds, Charlie's true identity is revealed, and a shockingly graphic rape takes place in a motel not too far from her home.

The tone of the film changes from an almost engaging, yet horrifying, thriller to a vivid account of the after effects of internet grooming and the rape of a child on that child's family. Clive Owen's portrayal of Annie's father is heartbreaking to watch as he struggles to deal with both the crime against his daughter and her mistaking it for love.

Thought-provoking and moving, Trust is stern and intelligent reminder of the easily dismissed dangers of the internet.

Rating: 7/10

Watch interview with director David Schwimmer: