This movie brings the picture of a crime action thriller
about two evil cops who discover a strangely hidden safe, guarded by a gang,
and filled with mysterious contents. Little do the crooked cops know their lust
for the contents will thrust them into a deadly well of corruption leaving them
fighting for their lives, unsure of who to trust.
The movie is about a pair of cops investigating a drug
invasion stumble upon a mysterious bank vault. Waters and Stone are two nobody
police officers who work in the evidence room of the Las Vegas Police
Department. When Stone discovers an unusually high bail receipt in connection
to a drug bust, the two friends set in motion a plan to find the source of the
money.
Waters and Stone are two nobody police officers working dull
administrative jobs and making extra money selling stolen Civil Service Exams
to other officers. When Stone hears a story about a heroin dealer quickly
beating his extremely high bail, the two friends set into motion a plan to find
the origin of such a large amount of cash. Through diligent police work they
follow a trail that leads directly to a custom bank-style vault built into the
back room freezer of a small grocery store. They put a plan into motion to rob
the vault and split whatever they find inside. But by the time they figure out
what the vault contains, it's already too late to turn back.
When Stone discovers an unusually high bail receipt in
connection to a recent drug bust the pair witnessed, he begins to hatch a plan
to find the source of the money, enlisting Waters to act as his partner.
Waters, following some persuading, hops on board, and together, after doing
some sleuthing, the duo hatch a plan to rob a vault built into the freezer of a
small grocery store.
For those that didn't understand the events that unfold quickly at the end, I don't think you watched the movie very well. It's all explained in small visuals and events throughout the last half of the movie.
ReplyDeleteMaking the first of an expected six film appearances in 2016 alone, the ever-prolific, never-selective Nicolas Cage at least seems to be enjoying himself more than usual in “The Trust,” a thinly conceived but juicily played heist thriller directed by the sibling team of Alex and Ben Brewer.
That nagging incuriosity about its own characters would matter less, perhaps, if “The Trust” was a committed two-hander, but Cage’s performance, showily entertaining though it is, feels more like a quasi-Brechtian gimmick than a convincing embodiment of go-for-broke villainy.
ReplyDeleteThe Trust has strong performances, a curious narrative and it’s fairly well crafted, but what keeps it from being an above average heist movie are the small details. Jim is as quirky as they come and David doesn’t take his job as seriously as he should, but it’s clear that they’re both smart guys so even though their scheme is incredibly risky, there is a sense that they could pull it off, which keeps the film engaging all the way through.
ReplyDeleteEventually it becomes clear that Jim and David aren’t out to be heroes but rather, to get rich quick. Not only is it a major problem that this isn’t made clear right from the start, but The Trust also fails to convey why Jim and David would want to risk everything for big money. Yes, you could make the argument that anyone would love to be financially secure for the rest of their lives, but when you’re talking about a feature narrative, there needs to be more than that in order to compel viewers to root for these guys, especially because they’re hard to connect to as individuals.
As the film grows increasingly dark following violent hiccups in their attempted robbery, so does Cage: Stone’s odd tics suddenly turn sinister. Simply put, he’s a blast to watch. Cage is the rare actor who has the ability to make you laugh one moment, and recoil the next.
ReplyDeleteMr. Cage is fun to watch as he lets the bottled-up rage of a nondescript existence slowly bubble to the surface. The script, by Adam Hirsch and Benjamin Brewer, is full of both humor and menace, giving the actors plenty to work with. That makes for an enjoyably slow buildup to an unexpected ending.
ReplyDeleteParents need to take note that the movie consists of rough language and nudity.
There's little in the way of tension, surprise or consistency, and the disappointing ending leaves questions about the point of the whole exercise.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a tough job involving kidnap, German power tools and several hours of drilling from the apartment above. In time-honored fashion, the well-laid plan goes awry, but the story never settles into a comfortable groove.
Though incredibly funny in parts, with a handful of one-liners that will have the whole room laughing, such farcicality is persistently enriched by the sheer darkness that lingers.
ReplyDeleteSet in Vegas, The Trust ensures we don’t see the setting that we have grown so accustomed to cinematically. We have little cliched stock footage of the Strip, and instead we veer down the shady back streets, the side that definitely exists, but one us tourists and film-goers know so little about.