Jerome Wetzel (Olivia Dailey) used to do TV Reviews all the time. Now, she posts short versions on the Facebook and Instagram account Jim's Daily by Jerome Wetzel, as well as serving as creator, producer, and head writer for It's All Been Done Radio Hour and iabdpresents.com
Now out on Blu-ray from Millennium Entertainment is Trust, or trust_, as the cover says. It is the story of 14-year old Annie (Liana Liberato, The Last Sin Easter) who befriends her dream guy (Chris Henry Coffey, Downsized) online. They spend months chatting, and when Annie finally goes to meet the boy, she discovers he is actually about twenty years older than her. Going back to his hotel room with him, she gives him her virginity in a less than enthusiastic way. Her best friend relates the story to the authorities, and most of Trust is about the impact the events have on Annie and her family.
Do not be fooled by the slow start. Yes, a significant portion of the beginning of the film is just Annie texting the guy, and seems trite. But if you stick with it, there are great performances later in the movie. Liberato does better than expected, capturing the nuance of mixed up teenage girl feelings, including love and anger. She makes it easy to relate to her desire for the sexual encounter to mean something, even as she realizes how wrong it is.
Clive Owen (Duplicity, Closer) gets the meatiest role as Annie's father, who wants revenge on the man who took his daughter's innocence, and doesn't know how to be supportive of her. Many thoughts war within Clive, including a need to act out in a violent way, but his emotional moments are best. For fans growing weary of Owen's recent bad movies, this will help ease that pain. Catherine Keener (The 40 Year Old Virgin, Being John Malkovich) also gives a typically brilliant performance as Annie's mother, though she unfortunately gets less focus.
Supporting the main players are Viola Davis (Doubt) as Annie's guidance counselor, who attempts to help Annie deal with her feelings, and Jason Clarke (The Chicago Code) as the federal agent assigned to the case. Both are very talented performers, and manage to convey that in limited parts.
It may surprise you to learn that Trust is the directorial debut of Friends star David Schwimmer. He does a relatively capable job with this gripping story. As mentioned before, the beginning section of the movie, before the statutory rape, comes off as a cheesy movie about a melodramatic teen girl. But once events begin rolling along, Trust becomes a great film, with much credit to go to the director who sets the tone wonderfully.
Picture and sound quality are fantastic. This release is in 16x9 2.35 anamorphic widescreen with 1080p high definition and Dolby True HD. Perhaps I've become immune to what sets a good Blu-ray release apart, as most television and movies are now viewed in HD, at least in my household. Trust looks and sounds fantastic - just like everything else in high definition. This movie has no big special effects, so it's hard to pinpoint some great examples. But must of the lighting and tone has a dark feel, especially after the rape, as is appropriate, and the blacks are rich. The picture is crystal clear, as is the sound. As far as technology goes, there should be nothing to complain about in this release.
There are English SDH and Spanish subtitles included. The only special feature is a sixteen minute conversation with the people involved in the film, which does give some good insight into the process and the characters. I just wish there was more.
Besides Blu-ray, which is the recommended format, Trust is also available on DVD and both standard and high definition download. Click here to buy Trust,
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FOX's The Chicago Code had a great pilot, but to my surprise, it continues to deliver extremely well-made episodes every week. Those expecting just another cop show are mistaken, as this series is certainly much, much better than most of its peers on television. The series gets into some real human drama, the heart of the people that make up the city of Chicago. The main characters struggle with moral compromises and how far to go for justice. There are cases of the week, but there are also much larger plots that consistently get plenty of screen time, too. It is expertly written and acted. I cannot recommend this series enough.
This week, Jarek (Jason Clarke) and Caleb (Matt Lauria) bust a drug dealer named Romero, only to find the situation is much more complicated than they have assumed. Romero's son has been kidnapped by a rival gang, and while Jarek is fine with using Romero to save his son, federal agents show up and demand Romero be handed over to testify in another case, after which they intend to stick him into witness protection. Jarek is not one to give up easily, and is not about to let Romero's seven year old pay for his father's mistakes, so he has his niece, Vonda (Devin Kelley), and her partner, Isaac (Todd Williams), distract the F.B.I. men long enough to allow him to save the kid.
Jarek often crosses the line, but doesn't get into trouble because of his results. While this may not be entirely realistic, it is easy enough to explain away, as Police Superintendent Teresa Colvin (Jennifer Beals) has given him a long leash in an attempt to go after a very big fish. As such, even when the case is not connected to Jarek's main target, he is allowed to defy orders more than other cops. Which, of course, makes for extremely good action sequences. If you are missing Jack Bauer, Jarek Wysocki should help ease the pain.
Teresa herself pushes boundaries, but as she has to play politics, she isn't able to go as far as Jarek. Which may explain why she goes so easy on Jarek. He gets to do the things she cannot. He is her tool to get done what needs to be done. Last week, it went so far as to Teresa staging a suspension for Jarek, a real suspension, but pre-planned between the two of them, so that she can maintain a public image, but the job can still get tackled. This week, Teresa uses her more diplomatic talents, convincing the F.B.I. chief (Adam Arkin, Sons of Anarchy, Chicago Hope) that both they and she can get what they want. She is tough, but fair, and doing a heck of a job cleaning up quite a mess.
I absolutely love the dynamic between Jarek and his partner, Caleb. Caleb is a goody two-shoes, who is well educated and wants to go far in law enforcement. It's Caleb's unique combination of reminding Jarek not to stray too far from the right path, but also not to get in his way, that has allowed Caleb to stay Jarek's partner, despite the high turnover rate that position holds. Caleb recognizes the value in Jarek's methods in a way others have not, and seems to have a good moral compass and wisdom. He doesn't always agree with Jarek, but he knows how to pick his battles. For instance, he is now harping on Jarek's large consumption of energy drinks, but doesn't try to talk Jarek out of fooling the feds to save a little boy.
Caleb also gives Jarek crap for cheating on his fiance with his ex-wife, a plot that sees some serious development this week. Jarek's son catches Jarek and Dina (Amy Price-Francis, Life Unexpected, The Cleaner) together in the middle of the night. Dina wants Jarek to leave his very young fiance and come back to her, but knows him well enough to not force a choice. However, once Jarek affirms to his son that he has no intention of getting back with Dina on a more permanent basis, Dina accepts a date with another man, annoying Jarek.
Perhaps it is cliche in TV that the man who is super good at law enforcement has a screwed up personal life. But that doesn't mean it's not entertaining. Jarek is a deeply flawed man, but that may be why he is able to understand the bad guys well enough to take them down. He knows flaws better than most. Jarek doesn't seem particularly enamored with his fiance, so I do find it strange he doesn't just dump her for Dina, whom he seems to value more. However, not knowing their back story all that well, it's hard to know exactly what is informing Jarek's decision making process in this case.
Speaking of back story, this series has a cool element where one of the major, not necessarily main, characters narrates some history, often times with brief flashback scenes, informing on what has brought them to the point they are currently at. It's not like Lost where the flashbacks take over the narrative, or are extremely important to the ongoing plot. But I do like to know how past decisions influence present ones, and it is accomplished in an unobtrusive way. Very neat.
Finally, in an ongoing arc, Liam (Billy Lush) continues his undercover investigation into Gibbons (Delroy Lindo). Last week, to keep his cover, Liam committed arson, later finding out his deed led to a man's death. Thankfully, rather than just forgetting this twist, Liam is really struggling with guilt over what happened. Gibbons, who orchestrated the arson and murder so that Liam is under his thumb, asks Liam to be his driver for a day. But it's a ruse. He takes Liam to visit grieving families, including that of Liam's victim, basically letting Liam know he is now owned.
I am not convinced that the man died in the fire. His body may have been dumped there to blackmail Liam. Even if he did die in the fire, he was certainly placed there on purpose. I don't see Liam facing long-term consequences for the man's death, other than the personal demons he must wrestle with.
Of course, Liam isn't owned, because he's a cop, and was ordered to participate in the fire. Gibbons doesn't know this. It is done cleverly, with Gibbons never actually saying anything threatening to Liam, actually smiling and acting like a mentor. Yet, there is a cruel ruthlessness underlying Gibbon's friendly disposition. What Gibbons doesn't know is that Liam is about ready to quit the operation, until Gibbons's strategy backfires, renewing Liam's commitment to the take down. Had Liam quit, it likely would have taken a long time to get a new undercover office in as deep as Liam is. Gibbons is causing his own downfall.
Which makes me wonder what the long-term story will be for this series. Gibbons, obviously, is the first big target, and a main character. But I don't see Gibbons staying in power more than another year, at most. Any longer, and the show risks growing stale. Chicago is know for corruption, so surely there are many paths that can be taken after Gibbons goes down, though hopefully the next will be in a different direction. Rather than getting ahead of myself, though, I'm going to force myself to slow down and enjoy the ride. Because it is extremely entertaining.
The Chicago Code airs Monday nights at 10 p.m. ET on FOX.
There are far too many cop / legal shows on the air right now. That should be apparent to anyone casually glancing at the network prime time listings. That's why I was extremely pessimistic about FOX's The Chicago Code, and wasn't looking forward to reviewing it at all. This, despite the fact that the show sponsored me on Examiner last week, so I owe them one, which has no baring on my opinion of the show, but still... I figured I would reluctantly sit through it, and then I could dash out a couple quick paragraphs about what drivel it is, copying everything else already on the air.
That opinion was dead wrong. The Chicago Code is not at all the basic procedural drama. It's a mystery about corruption in a city known for it. It's an heroic tale about those that are finally willing to stand up to that corruption. Classic David versus Goliath, in modern day law enforcement and politics. It seems equally parts reality based, and dark, crime fighting, comic book inspired. Most of the first episode dealt with those major themes, and I am very much hooked.
Alderman Gibbons (Delroy Lindo, a familiar face) has run the city for decades, relying heavily on the Irish mob, whom he seems to control, despite not being of that nationality himself. Six months after being named police superintendent, Teresa Colvin (Jennifer Beals, The L Word) is transferring ineffective cops to dead end beats, and is ready to tackle the source of the city's problems. Gibbons denies her request for a task force, but she doesn't let that stop her. Instead, Colvin approaches her former partner, Jarek Wysocki (Jason Clarke, Brotherhood), and asks him to do some investigating. Joined by his newest partner, Caleb (Matt Lauria, Friday Night Lights) and undercover detective, Liam, (Billy Lush, formerly of the canceled-too-soon The Black Donnellys), Jarek promises to do what he can.
The road ahead will surely not be easy. But then, the show wouldn't be worth watching if it was. Gibbons has his hands in everything, and the people around him do not hesitate to take out whoever threatens their boss, without waiting for him to ask them to. Despite the resources at her disposal, if Colvin comes at Gibbons too strongly before she gets enough evidence to fully send him away, he could likely just have her removed from her job. How do you go after a man so powerful? It's a great question, and I look forward to a weekly series that answers it.
Of course, the fight with Gibbons cannot go on indefinitely. I am thinking one, maybe two, seasons, tops. For those who may argue with me, thinking it would kill the show, Alias did it, toppling their big, bad organization a year and a half into the series, and they continued just fine for another three and a half years. A plot with such a defined villain cannot go on forever, and the series will get boring if it attempts to stretch it too long. At some point, things have to come to a head. Based on the progress made in just the first episode alone, this series is looking at a showdown sooner rather than later. Which is fine. I'm sure there are plenty of other problems the police of Chicago need to solve.
Also in the main cast, besides all of the people mentioned above, is Jarek's niece, Vonda (Devin Kelley), and her partner slash lover, Isaac (Todd Williams, In Plain Sight). They are regular beat cops, sort of filling the role of the youngest brother on Blue Bloods, without the contrived conspiracy. That's because the conspiracy is the show. They are connected with the show's main plot only on the fringe. Instead, they simply add another layer, and a family element for Jareck. I predict they may get drawn into the larger story eventually, and hope they do. Otherwise, I don't see them needing to stick around for season two.
One of the strongest elements of the show is how it can jump perspective. It did this several times, with narration alternating characters, including Jareck and Colvin. This format allows the show to add new central characters with little effort, or allow stand alone stories for single episode guests, such as they did in the pilot.
If you have not watched the pilot, do not read this paragraph. If you do, the best surprise of the episode will be ruined. Antonio (Manny Montana), who was Colvin's driver and assistant, was right in the middle of his narration when he was gunned down, soon pronounced dead. I was shocked, and impressed. The episode really had me liking Antonio, and his death hurt. I wish he had stayed around, because he seemed like such an interesting character. On the other hand, what a neat, bold twist for a pilot to take! It's been done before, but seldom as well as done here. Major kudos.
If you'd like to check out The Chicago Code, and I certainly recommend you do, it airs Monday nights at 9 p.m. on FOX.
If I could do anything I wanted to, I'd split my time between writing exciting novels and developing television programs, and reading great books and watching wonderful television shows.
Now out on Blu-ray from Millennium Entertainment is Trust, or trust_, as the cover says. It is the story of 14-year old Annie (Liana Liberato, The Last Sin Easter) who befriends her dream guy (Chris Henry Coffey, Downsized) online. They spend months chatting, and when Annie finally goes to meet the boy, she discovers he is actually about twenty years older than her. Going back to his hotel room with him, she gives him her virginity in a less than enthusiastic way. Her best friend relates the story to the authorities, and most of Trust is about the impact the events have on Annie and her family.
Clive Owen (Duplicity, Closer) gets the meatiest role as Annie's father, who wants revenge on the man who took his daughter's innocence, and doesn't know how to be supportive of her. Many thoughts war within Clive, including a need to act out in a violent way, but his emotional moments are best. For fans growing weary of Owen's recent bad movies, this will help ease that pain. Catherine Keener (The 40 Year Old Virgin, Being John Malkovich) also gives a typically brilliant performance as Annie's mother, though she unfortunately gets less focus.
Picture and sound quality are fantastic. This release is in 16x9 2.35 anamorphic widescreen with 1080p high definition and Dolby True HD. Perhaps I've become immune to what sets a good Blu-ray release apart, as most television and movies are now viewed in HD, at least in my household. Trust looks and sounds fantastic - just like everything else in high definition. This movie has no big special effects, so it's hard to pinpoint some great examples. But must of the lighting and tone has a dark feel, especially after the rape, as is appropriate, and the blacks are rich. The picture is crystal clear, as is the sound. As far as technology goes, there should be nothing to complain about in this release.
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