TRAUMA

"My wife is dead"

Ben

Waking up from a coma, Ben (Firth) finds that his wife Elisa (Harris) has been killed in the car crash that put him in the hospital. Feeling that his world is crumbling away from him, Ben is pulled even deeper into an emotional spiral as everyone around him is in mourning for murdered music star Lauren Paris and he can't find anyone to understand his pain. The only person who listens is Charlotte (Suvari), his landlady but as his world becomes more and more confused, Ben starts to think that she might not even exist.

If you were going to make a psychological thriller about a man dragged into a nightmare world of his own making, you wouldn't really pick Colin Firth as your star.

Usually associated with costume dramas and romantic comedies, Colin Firth has started branching out in an effort to try and remove himself from the pigeon hole the film industry has put him in. He achieved this, with some credit, in 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' but Trauma is just a step too far. Taking nothing away from his performance, which is the highlight of the film, it is just his whole persona that just doesn't suit the role. Having him as the character just doesn't make Ben believeable, as he just sounds far too upper class to be a struggling, out of work artist moving in the circles that his character does.

An incoherent plot that is confusing and ultimately disappointing doesn't help Firth. Director Marc Evans (My Little Eye) and writer Richard Smith try and blur the boundaries between reality, dreams and hallucinations, pulling the viewer into a perplexing world that is just as nonsensical to you as it is to the characters. This can work well in the movie, making you more interested in the characters and their situation but Trauma just isn't engaging enough to captivate you from the off. As the film progresses confusion sets in, which is a plot motivator, but there is not enough to solve any of that puzzlement that a slightly disjointed plot does nothing to alleviate. The finale is a let down and very predictable.

The film is all about Colin Firth's performance but he does have some decent help from a strong supporting cast. Again you have to ask the question why someone like Mena Suvari agreed to star in the movie. Her performance is fine but the character is very underdeveloped and far too whimsical to be taken seriously. Naomie Harris is a fine up and coming British actress who deserves more screen time to showcase her talent. There are also good supporting roles for Brenda Fricker and Kenneth Cranham.

Trauma's confusing plot just isn't engaging enough to draw you into Ben' predictament or any of the supporting character's situations. There is no denying that Colin Firth is a talented actor but he shouldn't really play against type because his believability just isn't strong enough to make you think he could play anything else.

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen with a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, the transfer is good. The stylised portrayal of Ben's slowly collapsing world is vividly brought to life through a very sharp and detailed picture. The sound quality is also good, with a strong emphasis on dialogue.

BONUS FEATURES

Feature Commentary with Director Marc Evans
An interesting and informative commentary, the track allows the director to tell you how he sees the movie. Covering casting, influences for the story and the characters, he talks passionately about the subject matter of the movie and how it is hard to be original in the psychological thriller genre. He also talks about the London and Isle of Mann shoots and the Gothic style and look of the piece as it draws to its intentionally confusing conclusion.

Trauma: The Story (25.34 mins)
Director Marc Evans, writer Richard Smith and stars Colin Firth, Mena Suvari and Naomi Harris take you behind the scenes of 'Trauma'. Covering the different aspects of the story, grief, love, loss and lunacy, the featurette covers all of the main plot points with the director, writer and stars offering their insights into Ben's troubled world. They also talk about the style and look of the movie and the influences behind it, trying not to pigeonhole it into one genre category.

OVERALL

This DVD might not have an abundance of extras but the ones it does have a really good. While a single person commentary is usually a difficult one to listen to, this one is informative and interesting. The featurette is also good, moving away from the usual backslapping kind we get from Hollywood releases and showing and explaining more about the film. Fans will be pleased with the release but others will find it abit lacking.

DVD

My Little Eye

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2004