Review of Death Defying Acts (2007) by Danielle S — 09 Mar 2009

Trying to make ends meet in Scotland during the 1920s, Mary (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and her daughter Benji (Saoirse Ronan) work as Dickensian con artists, passing themselves off as psychics of atypical ability.

Learning of Harry Houdini (Guy Pearce) and his contest that will reward $10,000 to anyone who can determine the last words of his dead mother, Mary makes it her mission to find out the answer by getting close to Houdini when he arrives for a tour.

Beguiled by her beauty and psychic skill, Houdini makes a play for Mary's heart, revealing himself to the woman in ways he's always kept hidden from view. The characters are not accustomed to naked emotional declarations, and the film does a serviceable job attempting to crawl inside the mind of guarded personalities who've spent most of their lives playing extravagant roles to survive a cruel world.

Gillian Armstrong's lush visuals effectively complement Tony Grisoni and Brian Ward's slow-moving screenplay, yet there's no denying that the movie occasionally feels as though it's been put together with a prefabricated mold for costume dramas.

"Death Defying Acts" lacks ideal mystery, but it evokes a romantic era with generous screentime, and the performances are accomplished all around.