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Chris Philpott's avatar

I went along to see Trap last week - I agree, Hartnett is fantastic.

That said, I found myself bothered by the realisation that the girl playing the popstar is Shyamalan's daughter, who is trying to put together a pop career in real life and wrote all the songs in the film, and now I'm wondering if this was designed as a vehicle for her and he just lucked into a stellar Hartnett.

Dan Slevin's avatar

Maybe I should have explained myself better. I think it's actually an apology to her for being a work-obsessed and (possibly emotionally absent) parent. The whole film is about disappointing parents. Her presence reinforces the point. Or I'm overthinking it ...

Chris Philpott's avatar

Ah, I misread that part!

You're probably right - I didn't think of it in the sense of an apology, but that makes sense. (I also didn't read the film as being about disappointing parents. Maybe I was half asleep?!)

Dan Slevin's avatar

Hartnett is literally haunted by visions of his abusive mother.

Chris Philpott's avatar

Okay, yes, when you point it out its obvious. This is why you're the movie reviewer haha :)

But also I wonder if the fact that it was a Shyamalan film made me less inclined to read into the film. I really didn't put much thought into its themes or meaning.