In Hal Hartley's 1990 film, Trust the changes of the main characters, specifically Maria, over the course of the movie are drastic and notable. Maria Coughlin and Matthew Slaughter are by far the most important characters of the movie, everyone else simply furthers their development as their lives become intertwined. Both social outcasts and frowned upon by society.
Maria opens the movie putting on purple lipstick while asking her father for five dollars, which he promptly declines and a few minutes later he dies of a heart attack. Maria's mother then kicks her out and her boyfriend breaks up with her. Maria's life looks dismal, she is a pregnant, high school dropout with no future or hopes of ever succeeding. Everything Maria held in her life, her boyfriend, her status, her family were suddenly all gone.
Then in walks Matthew, the quirky electronics genius with an abusive father and a restless spirit and attitude that never allows him to stay in the same job for more than a couple months. Matthew allows Maria to stay with him and his father for a night and her irresponsibility is immediately obvious through the mess she leaves in the kitchen and simply ignores.
The first turning point for Maria is after her clothes, which are neon and skimpy are ruined and she puts on Matthew's mother's old blue simple dress. Without her intensely curled hair, intense makeup, and outrageous clothes, Maria already seems to be a completely different person.
Matthew's room hold a seemingly endless supply of books, many on topics Maria never ever heard about before. She begins to read some and her transformation into a more than just a shell of a person becomes more solidified as she begins to ask questions, about herself and the world.
Maria and Matthew eventually become a couple, and have a connection neither of them had ever felt before. Together they discuss love and what it means to them. To Maria is its respect, admiration and trust, hence the name of the film. Even though Maria and Matthew become engaged they never marry and the life they had planned never pans out the way the thought. Also, Maria has an abortion after seeing Matthew in bed with her sister Peg, though it was a set up by her mother who wanted to get rid of Matthew.
The movie ends with Matthew being driven away in a police car after pulling the pin out of a grenade in the factory where he used to work. Maria finds him and when the grenade does not detonate, Maria takes it and throws the grenade to attempt to set it off. Even though it eventually explodes, no one is hurt and Matthew is arrested. Maria stands in the street watching him being driven off, looking and being nothing like she was at the beginning. Her hair in a ponytail, glasses, a plain blue dress. Her letterman jacket the only remains of her past.
No comments:
Post a Comment