Trust: disappointing yet worth watching

Trust, the story of a 14 year old trusting girl, Annie (Liana Liberato), groomed online by “Charlie” (Tristan Peach), a serial child-rapist, is disappointing, although well intentioned. Like filming by numbers.

However, the strength of the film lies in the different readings of what happened from hers to her father's (Clive Owen) reading, and her slow realization of how she was duped into sex. Her trust is then shattered, the resulting emotional scars threaten to tear the family apart. Another saving grace of Trust was the rather open ended finale, as it is likely that the perpetrator will escape scotch free (in spite of a trap set up by the FBI), although there was a kind of emotional closure not only for Annie, but also for the whole family.

The acting is quite good, particularly the nuanced interpretation of Annie Cameron by Liana Liberato, although in part I felt some of the performances were a bit over the top. I also felt that Trust was too long, it would have enormously benefited by a tighter editing. Not too subtle product placement was annoying.

The 15 certificate closes it to younger girls, who really should be the target audience for this too long didactic film, as the issue of internet grooming is worth raising, even now (the film is placed on Obama's America).

Trust is out on UK cinemas now.

Director: David Schwimmer

Cast: Clive Owen, Catherine Keener, Liana Liberato

Distributor: Lionsgate UK