Trust 2010

Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: The mantle of social relevance can be a heavy one, but "Trust," a smooth drama about a girl's seduction and rape by a middle-aged Internet predator, is neither preachy nor hysterically overreaching. Read more

Nathan Rabin, AV Club: The claustrophobic film offers a strange anti-catharsis; it's all tension and frustration with no crowd-pleasing release. Read more

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader: I must admit [Schwimmer's] done a solid job with this queasy drama. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: He's adept with actors, but Schwimmer has yet to locate his strengths behind the camera. Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: What Trust conveys, at its best, is that ultimately parental protections are not foolproof, and that is the greatest horror of all. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: Schwimmer directs this smarmy Hot Topic drama with empathy for the craft of acting but less interest in the craft of making a movie move. Read more

Ray Bennett, Hollywood Reporter: This theme is well-drawn, and the film plays out with great intensity as Owen's character grapples with the fact that the daughter he loves might have changed forever. Read more

Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times: Unfortunately, this well-acted cautionary tale is hampered by a lack of visual finesse and a script (by Andy Bellin and Robert Festinger) in need of a narrative rethink and a dialogue polish. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: Prurient, ham-handed and amateurish. Read more

Kyle Smith, New York Post: The script is blaring and obvious at all times, and in his second directorial effort, David Schwimmer doesn't have a clue how dull it is for the audience to endure scene after scene of anguish, crying and screaming matches. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: It's easy to imagine how this story could have been exploited and dumbed down. It works instead with intelligence and sympathy. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: Audiences most definitely will squirm and wish they were anywhere but in the theater, despite the fact that it features some of Clive Owen's best work and a startling movie debut by the 15-year-old Liana Liberato. Read more

Mary F. Pols, TIME Magazine: There is no denying that Schwimmer knows something about getting a performance out of an actor. Liberato, who is 15 now, is flat-out terrific. Read more

Cath Clarke, Time Out: An exercise in sober drama and a middle-class cautionary tale which explores a family ripped up by the roots after the rape of a 14-year-old girl. Read more

Justin Chang, Variety: Actor-helmer David Schwimmer makes an ill-advised shift into Afterschool Special territory with his sophomore feature, Trust. Read more

Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice: Afterschool Special stuff, but the ensemble rings quite true in their coping processes, as director David Schwimmer proves adept at tracking rogue emotions that no closing Ordinary People clench can satisfactorily resolve. Read more