Film Review: Death Defying Acts

What’s it about?
Guy Pearce is the world famous escape artist Harry Houdini, who in order to debunk charlatan psychics, promises a $10,000 reward to anyone who can contact his mother from beyond the grave. Enter Zeta Jones as Mary McGarvie and her equally deceptive daughter played by Saoirse Ronan who both want to get their hands on the loot.

This is a movie about relationships and deception than the expected thrills and spills. However, its produced and edited with such flourish that you are rarely stuck in one genre long enough to notice.

Is it any good?
It is pretty damn good. The all star cast give captivating performances the sets and other period features look exceptional. Nicely paced with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. DDA is a testimony to Pearce’s selective process when choosing roles. To date he has yet to choose a dud and this continues the trend.

You’ll remember this bit:
Even though we all know how Houdini eventually dies, each and every…dare I say it…death defying act will have you willing him, from the comfort and relative safety of your seat, to emerge unscathed.

E.T.A: 8 August 2008