Trauma (2004 film)

"Trauma" is a 2004 psychological thriller directed by Marc Evans and written by Richard Smith.

Infobox Film
name = Trauma


caption = Believe what you see what you believe
director = Marc Evans
producer = Nicky Kentish Barnes
Jonathan Cavendish
eproducer =
aproducer =
writer = Richard Smith
starring = Colin Firth
Mena Suvari
Naomie Harris
Sean Harris
Neil Edmond
music = Alex Heffes
cinematography = John Mathieson
Nic Sadler
editing = Mags Arnold
distributor = Warner Bros. Pictures
released = 2004
runtime = 94 min
rating = R
country = UK
awards =
language = English
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
amg_id = 1:300991
imdb_id = 0363143

Plot synopsis

Awaking from a coma to discover his wife has been killed in a car accident, Ben's (Colin Firth) world may as well have come to an end. A few weeks later, Ben's out of hospital and, attempting to start a new life, he moves home and is befriended by a beautiful young neighbour Charlotte (Mena Suvari). His life may be turning around but all is not what it seems and, haunted by visions of his dead wife, Ben starts to lose his grip on reality....

Cast

*Colin Firth as Ben
*Mena Suvari as Charlotte
*Naomie Harris as Elisa
*Sean Harris as Roland
*Neil Edmond as Mills

Critical reaction

*Most of the critical reviews of this film originate from the United Kingdom where the film was originally released.
*The film is described by critics as a psychological thriller in the same vein as David Cronenberg [http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/reviews/trauma.html "Trauma" Review] , "Tiscali"] , "Memento" Rich Cline, [http://www.shadowsonthewall.co.uk/04/trauma.htm "Trauma" Review] , "Shadows on the Wall"] , and "Jacob's Ladder" David Nusair, [http://www.reelfilm.com/tiff0410.htm#trauma "Trauma" Review] , "Reel Films Reviews"] ; however, most find that the film pales in comparison, with "Eye Weekly" calling it "just another pretentious Jacob's Ladder knockoff Jason Anderson, [http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_09.09.04/film/tiff.html "Trauma" Review] , "Eye Weekly"] ."
*The film has been described as stylish, with "iofilm" calling it "a triumph of style over content [http://www.iofilm.co.uk/fm/t/trauma_2004.shtml "Trauma" Review] , "iofilm - film inside out"] ." "Shadows on the Wall" adds, "Evans fills the screen with... moody, atmospheric, and evocative visuals Rich Cline, [http://www.shadowsonthewall.co.uk/04/trauma.htm "Trauma" Review] , "Shadows on the Wall"] ," and "Filmcritic.com" says the film has "The Ring"-inspired creepy imagery Christopher Null, [http://filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf/84dbbfa4d710144986256c290016f76e/24c475479245fa6a882570010016aab9?OpenDocument "Trauma" Review] , "Filmcritic.com"] ."
**"Neil Young's Film Lounge" describes the film's visual in this way: "Evans (along with cinematographer John Mathieson, production-designer Richard Smith and editor Mags Arnold) tries desperately to jazz everything up, deploying all manner of distorted visuals - extreme camera angles and close-ups, plus over-atmospheric lighting effects and jagged cuts - in a strenuous attempt to get us into Ben's tormented state-of-mind Neil Young, [http://www.jigsawlounge.co.uk/film/trauma.html "Trauma" Review] , "Film Loungue"] ."
*Reviews find the film "confusing" rather than "clever" Dragan, [http://draxreview.blogspot.com/2005/11/trauma-2004.html "Trauma" Review] , "Draxblog Movie Reviews"] . "There's absolutely no logic or sense in Trauma" says "filmcritic.com" Christopher Null, [http://filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf/84dbbfa4d710144986256c290016f76e/24c475479245fa6a882570010016aab9?OpenDocument "Trauma" Review] , "Filmcritic.com"] .
*Pacing is another issue critics feel is damaging to the viewer's experience, becoming "very boring very quickly [http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/reviews/trauma.html "Trauma" Review] , "Tiscali"] " with "Evans imbuing... an incredibly slow pace David Nusair, [http://www.reelfilm.com/tiff0410.htm#trauma "Trauma" Review] , "Reel Films Reviews"] ."
*Actor Colin Firth's performance is the most praised aspect of the film. "He delivers a performance which highlights the range of his considerable talent [http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/reviews/trauma.html "Trauma" Review] , "Tiscali"] " cites one critic. "eFilmCritic" says Firth "does the best with what he's given Scott Weinberg, [http://www.efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=8520&reviewer=128 "Trauma" Review] , "efilmcirtic.com"] " and "iofilm" says, "Firth puts in a sterling performance in the central role [http://www.iofilm.co.uk/fm/t/trauma_2004.shtml "Trauma" Review] , "iofilm - film inside out"] ." "Reel Film Reviews" adds "Firth's performance, not surprisingly, is the best thing about the movie, and the actor does a nice job of portraying Ben's increasing paranoia David Nusair, [http://www.reelfilm.com/tiff0410.htm#trauma "Trauma" Review] , "Reel Films Reviews"] ."

Film festivals

"Listed Chronologically"
*Sundance Film Festival
*Cannes Film Market
*Edinburgh Film Festival
*Toronto Film Festival
*Lund Fantastisk Film Festival
*Athens Film Festival
*Gérardmer Fantasticarts Film Festival
*Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Films
*München Fantasy Filmfest

References

External links

* [http://wwws.warnerbros.co.uk/movies/trauma/?frompromo=movies_maintouts_Trauma "Trauma" Official Site]
*imdb title|id=0363143|title=Trauma
*Movie-Tome|id=121831|title=Trauma
*rotten-tomatoes|id=10003310-trauma|title=Trauma