Director & Screenwriter: Clark Gregg
Starring: Clark Gregg, Saxon Sharbino, Amanda Peet, Sam Rockwell, William H. Macy, Felicity Huffman, Allison Janney
Run Time: 90 minutes
Program: Spotlight
One film that made it onto my “you just gotta see this film” at Tribeca 2013 was Clark Gregg’s Trust Me, a film which he wrote and stars in as well.
Gregg steps away from the camera once-again to step into the ring as a director, something he told me during our interview, is his “favourite thing to do”. Trust Me steps into the world of Howard Holloway, a talent agent trying to make a name for himself. One talent after another, he can’t seem to find the crown jewel of clients. That’s of course, until young Lydia walks through the door. Howard vows to do whatever it takes and face whatever obstacle to make Lydia the next big star, and in the process, earn some respect from his colleagues. A twisted journey with unforeseen circumstances & moments puts a spotlight on an industry that has the capacity to fall so low for the smallest of things.
If there is one thing we can be certain about, Gregg is no newcomer to the world of directing. His 2008 directorial debut Choke – based on a novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk – went on to win a Sundance prize. What he has presented here is quite an amazing and refreshing piece of film. The story is absolutely beautiful. It’s a no-nonsense, in-depth look at Hollywood as some directors have tried to capture. There is a balance between complexity and simplicity, all weaved together with this fluid, emotionally-charged story. It is also filmed in a very simple way, not adding a bunch of distracting elements that would take you away from what is actually happening within the story.
We are quite aware of Gregg’s acting abilities, having taken the world by storm with his performance in The Avengers. However, Trust Me is a true showcase of what Gregg can do. Some of the scenes are just mind boggling, primarily because of how much emotion is involved but mostly because of how much the camera focused on the character. Gregg provides a performance that is, frankly, one of his best.
The surprise came in the form of 14 year-old Saxon Sharbino, the young girl who plays Lydia. Not a stranger to acting – having taken on the role of Amelia Robbins in the TV series Touch – but relatively new to the industry. With that said, oh boy are you in for a shock. This young girl delivers the performance you would normally expect from an adult. Sophisticated, in the right mood and always delivering what the scene requires. After the movie is done, you are quite literally in your seat going “um…wow”. Don’t really have to say anything more. Sharbino is a gifted young actress and Trust Me is only the beginning.
The other cast members are equivalently brilliant. Gregg has chosen a cast that has amazing chemistry with one another, even if they don’t interact as much. Amanda Peet and Sam Rockwell don’t have ridiculously large roles but they are so effective in delivering what their characters should, they are just equally memorable to Gregg’s Holloway and Sharbino’s Lydia. William H. Macy’s performance was even shorter but his brief appearance on screen just made that part of the film perfect. Too often, directors focus on the big stuff and forget about the little things. Gregg has done exactly the opposite. He has put together tiny components to make a film that just wow’s you at the end.
Given the opportunity, I would watch Trust Me again and again in a heart beat. What you have here is not just a film, but a piece of art that dives into a story that many don’t care about sharing, brings together some of the finest actors in the industry and then presents itself in a beautiful manner that leaves you in your own thoughts at the end. It makes you think hard about many things and then gives you something so emotionally charged, that you are simply left thinking about it even after the credits have rolled by.
We really hope that this film comes to the Toronto International Film Festival, travels the large festival circuit and finds an appropriate distributor. This is a film that HAS to be watched. Enough said.
Photo Credits: Tribeca Film Festival
