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Parents' Guide to

Trespass

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Robbery-gone-wrong tale is violent, intense, disappointing.

Movie R 2011 91 minutes
Trespass Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

Slick salesman Kyle (Nicolas Cage) deals in diamonds to support his lovely wife, Sarah (Nicole Kidman), and pretty teen daughter, Avery (Liana Liberato). His work is interrupted one night when a quartet of burglars invades the house, looking for loose diamonds and/or piles of cash. Their plan quickly goes awry when Kyle starts using his salesman skills to find an advantage. At first it looks like Kyle is merely trying to save his family, but eventually it becomes evident that he's trying to hide a desperate secret. Unfortunately, he's not the only one.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (3 ):

Written by Karl Gajdusek of the TV series Dead Like Me, TRESPASS looks like it has the nugget of a good idea that could have led to a good movie, but this isn't it. Director Joel Schumacher is a Hollywood veteran with some interesting films on his resume but also a great many turkeys. He can't quite get the tone right on this one; it starts out pitched a bit too high and gets even higher as the movie goes on.

Rather than generating suspense, the movie simply becomes irritating. Rather than becoming an intellectual chess game, it becomes a rather sloppy game of 52 pick-up, with coincidence and abandoned threads ruling the day. Likewise, Cage can't seem to find a center for his character, so he comes across more like a madman than a loving father. Kidman, however, manages some of her usual grace, and Ben Mendelsohn makes a commanding villain.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the movie's violence. Is all of it necessary to the story? Is it thrilling or brutal?

  • Kyle attempts to stand up to his attackers by talking to them. Is this a good way to deal with bullies? What other ways can people deal with bullies?

  • Is Kyle a good role model? Is he a hero or an antihero? Is he likable?

  • How does the movie portray drinking and drug use? Are there realistic consequences?

Movie Details

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