Trust

R

1990

1h 47m

Romance

Comedy

List

80%

25 Reviews

Tomatometer

93%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

High school dropout Maria Coughlin (Adrienne Shelly) is having a rough time of it on Long Island. Her father recently died of a heart attack, her boyfriend has left her and she's pregnant. To make matters even worse, her mother has now kicked her out of the house. But when electronics genius Matthew Slaughter (Martin Donovan) comes into her life, things start to brighten up for Maria. Sure, he's unemployed and a little unhinged, but together they just might have a chance.

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Vangelis R

Best indie film of the early ‘90s

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/28/24

Full Review

Eric E

My second foray into the works of Hal Hartley. I was not disappointed. This was like a shorthand version of A Song of Ice and Fire in that from the very start you just know our leads are destined to meet and fall in love. In my review I mentioned Hal Hartley's indie 80s/90s style reminded me of Linklater and George Sluizer. This time I was reminded of director Whit Stillman--though not as much wit (pun unintended). Adrienne Shelly once again shines playing young heroine Maria. Her love interest Matthey is played by "that guy" (Martin Donovan) I always recognize, but can't quite figure out from where. 2 films in and Hal Hartley's movies are so low-key they can lull the audience into a false sense of plot security--meaning you are unprepared for and don't see the major plot twists or story turns coming. The Mother's (Merritt Nelson) plan to trick Matthew was diabolical. Matthew is never able to fully explain the situation to Maria. I wonder if she intrinsically knows the truth or doesn't care. The end reminded me of ending of Baby Driver. Chekhov's grenade was a nice plot device.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/07/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is among my favorite movies of all time. It is by far Hal Hartley's best. There is a sort of obvious allegory but what is amazing is all of the smart dialogue and the way each character is also a portrait of themselves.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

William L

Hal Hartley was an icon of American independent film when it took the cinematic world by storm in the 1980s and 90s, with a particular offbeat style incorporating indie rock soundtracks and slightly offbeat line delivery from his actors that quickly won him the admiration of audiences and critics. However, personally I don't get much from his films, including Trust, an exploration of an unusual (and technically pedophilic) relationship between Maria (Adrienne Shelly), a recently impregnated high school dropout who thinks of herself as too stupid to be worthwhile of love, and Matthew (Martin Donovan), a depressed, abused, and suicidal guy who is too intelligent to be happy fixing TVs (the "opium of the masses") and the sole spot of honesty in a corporate cesspool. Disaffected young adults in an audience the world over can therefore choose to relate to either depending on how they are feeling - choosing to loathe themselves for being inadequate or choosing to loathe everyone else for compromising. It comes across more as a teenager's lament than a sincere drama. Adding in a quirky, monotone delivery to the acting quality and a dark comedy overtone help save face a bit, but can't bring the film up to the modern standards of independent studios; the value of Trust is more in the role that the film and its writer-director-producer played in the creation of a subgenre that was willing to experiment with style and technique. (2.5/5)

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/09/22

Full Review

Audience Member

I went with 3 1/2 stars for this movie. I only seen this movie once, but I would recommend it. I think that this movie will make it to the list of my go to movies to watch. I liked it I am a fan of Adrienne Shelly/her movies/movies that she was in. This movie remined me of myself and the charaters in this movie in a way, if that makes sense. There is something fimilar about this movie that I can't sem to put my finger on. Anyways... go give this movie a watch and some love. This seems like a looked over movie that gives you a feeling of nostalgia from the 90's. The story, charaters etc.. was well done. I was going to give it more stars, but went with 3 1/2 stars.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I have seen it many times. It is such a unique little gem of a movie. Funny, black humorous, touching. And I love Martin Donovan's dry performance. The best independent film of the 1990's! This is what independent filmaking is about, a writer and director being allowed to be as creative and unique as this production was.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

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Hal Hartley

Director

Adrienne Shelly

Maria Coughlin

Martin Donovan

Matthew Slaughter

Rebecca Nelson

Jean Coughlin

John A. MacKay

Jim Slaughter

Edie Falco

Peg Coughlin

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Una LaMarche

Observer

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 28, 2011

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: C

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Rated: 3/5

Jul 8, 2011

Full Review

Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

Hartley questions the responsibilities of adulthood and the broken family ties of the middle-class American dream, but at times his humor seems mechanical and the existential crisis of the characters is routinely resolved. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 6/10

Nov 23, 2021

Full Review

Ray Pride

Newcity

A romantic mirage from the ruins of the 1990s American independent movement, which still has fans if no financiers... a treasure, an indelible document of misgivings and longing and fated love.

Rated: 10/10

Jun 18, 2019

Full Review

Harriet Waugh

The Spectator

A bizarre little love story.

Jul 19, 2018

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

High school dropout Maria Coughlin (Adrienne Shelly) is having a rough time of it on Long Island. Her father recently died of a heart attack, her boyfriend has left her and she's pregnant. To make matters even worse, her mother has now kicked her out of the house. But when electronics genius Matthew Slaughter (Martin Donovan) comes into her life, things start to brighten up for Maria. Sure, he's unemployed and a little unhinged, but together they just might have a chance.

Director: Hal Hartley
Rating: R
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $352.4K
Runtime: 1h 47m

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