Trust Review

Messages: Functioning as a cautionary tale, this film emphasizes the need for parents to provide clear sexual guidelines for their children. It stresses the importance of open communication with teens and the dangers of unsupervised Internet access. Underlying these messages is the film's frank portrayal of a highly sexualized culture that encourages teen sexual activity well before kids are ready and mature enough to make wise decisions.

Role models: The parents in this film are introduced as loving, intelligent, and mostly responsible. Their parenting skills are tested, and they find that they're unprepared for the crisis that they and their daughter must endure. Throughout the course of the film, they mature as parents and become vitally aware of  the limitations of "trust" -- as well as its value. Many of the teen characters are depicted as sexually preoccupied and desperate for love and acceptance -- with grave results. Law enforcement, as well as mental health workers, are portrayed as effective, supportive, and thorough in their efforts to help.

Violence: In a series of nightmarish fantasies, a father first imagines his daughter as the victim of a vicious rape and then visualizes himself taking revenge on the unidentified predator, beating him violently with his fists and threatening him with a gun to the head. The same father loses control and brutally attacks a man at a high school volleyball game.

Sex: Sexuality is pervasive, both in dialogue and action. An adult-with-minor sex act, while not depicted as violent, is still rape, and the scene is both extended and disturbing. The community, including teens, is portrayed as highly sexual, with provocative advertising and room decor, overt seductive behavior, revealing clothing, explicit language, and some nudity (bare-breasted women). There are also graphically erotic text messages (read aloud) and telephone conversations. The only "positive" sexual scene shows loving foreplay between a fully clothed husband and wife.

Language: Frequent, strong swearing, including many uses and forms of "f--k," "ass," "s--t," "whore," screwed," "blow job," "Jesus Christ" (as an exclamation), "bitch," and more. A police report that includes graphic language about rape and its aftermath is shown in close-up.

Consumerism: Apple computers, MacBook Pro, Mizuno, Discount Shoe Warehouse, Talbot's, and references to Family Watchdog and ASK websites.

Drinking, drugs and smoking: Drinking is shown in a number of social settings: wine at family dinners, at a business event, and with restaurant meals. Underage drinking takes place at an unchaperoned teen house party. A young teen attempts suicide with prescription drugs found in a family medicine chest.