The Trust *** (2016, Nicolas Cage, Elijah Wood, Sky Ferreira, Jerry Lewis, Ethan Suplee) – Movie Review

There are things wrong with the engagingly eccentric and berserk 2016 crime thriller The Trust, but the star performances of Nicolas Cage and Elijah Wood are not among them. They are faultless and funny as Jim Stone and David Waters, a pair of maverick Las Vegas cops who play out a bickering bromance as they stumble on a mysterious bank vault while investigating a drug bust.

The two sweaty and sleazy officers are working in the evidence room of the Vegas Police Department when Stone discovers an unusually high bail receipt in connection to the drug bust and set out to find the source of the money.

The writer-directors are brothers Alex Brewer and Benjamin Brewer in their promising debut, effectively mixing heist thriller with dark slapstick comedy, always a tricky brew to concoct, but tastily satisfying when it works. Like it two thirds does here.

So, yes it really is one of Cage’s better recent movies, and yes it’s very nicely acted, written, edited and directed – at least, that is, the first two thirds of it.

[Spoiler alert] But the ending ruins it, and it’s like they ran out of inspiration and money two thirds through filming and thought they’d just pretty much stop the film there and then. After 80 minutes of really good work, the final 12 are outrageously disappointing.

Sorry, I just don’t get the ending, guys. I know you want to surprise us, and take us down an untrodden route, and that’s great. But there are reasons some roads are untravelled. Good reasons.

However, three stars for the first two thirds of the movie, and that’s frustrating because it was looking like a four star movie most of the way. Nevertheless, looking forward to the two Brewers next one. And if Cage keeps to comedy, ditto. He’s a funny guy. 

I’d been hugely looking forward to seeing Jerry Lewis back on screen playing Cage’s dad, against type. He celebrated his 90th birthday on March 16 2016 and I wanted to celebrate it with him. However, he has virtually zero to do in a couple of tiny scenes. Ah well, more disappointment in a film of many offbeat pleasures.

Sadly it proved the last film for legendary Jerry Lewis, who died on 20 August 2017, aged 91.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Movie Review

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