Review of Trash (2015) by Foxgrove — 09 Oct 2015

Set against the backdrop of the slums of Rio de Janeiro, this unconvincing drama invites comparison with ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ whilst really being quite different. Three kids working amongst the city’s trash find a wallet full of money which puts their lives in danger as this story of corruption, robbery and murder unfolds.

Director Stephen Daldry tries hard to keep a handle on a screenplay which is so convoluted that any tension the drama elicits is immediately diluted by unbelievable situations and lack of logical narrative.

Call me cynical but it is difficult to believe that kids from the slums would act in so intelligent and honest a manner. Streetwise yes, but code breakers? Also, the police always seem to know where they are from scene to scene despite Rio being one of the world’s largest cities in which to disappear.

Only at a convenient point in the story do they manage to accomplish this feat. These improbabilities and quite a few others take any urgency away from the many chase sequences and, despite some effective editing, the film never rouses as it should.

Ultimately, it feels somewhat pleased with itself as a kind of morality tale, albeit a very pedestrian one. The generally upbeat music owes more than a nod to the score of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ but is in fact just irritating.

Also, the parts delineated by Martin Sheen and Rooney Mara could, and should, have been played by anyone. On the plus side there is some lovely cinematography encompassing the less scenic parts of Rio, but in the final analysis whilst not ‘Trash’ exactly, the film is throwaway non-the-less.