Themes: Foibles of Marriage, Breakups and Divorces, Existential Crisis
Main Cast: David Duchovny, Julianne Moore, Billy Crudup, Maggie Gyllenhaal, James LeGros
Release Year: 2006
Country: US
Run Time: 99 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Two couples demonstrate that breaking up can be just as hard as staying together in this romantic comedy drama. Rebecca (Julianne Moore) and Tom (David Duchovny) are a seemingly happy married couple living in New York City -- she's a successful actress, while he stays home with the kids. However, beneath the surface, things are not going well. Rebecca is no longer amused with her husband's appetite for porn and constant sexual demands, while he's seriously considering having an affair. Rebecca's brother Tobey, (Billy Crudup), is in a more openly dysfunctional relationship; he's been dating Elaine (Maggie Gyllenhaal) for seven years but has no interest in marriage, while she's desperate to settle down and start a family. Tobey and Elaine decide to call it quits, as Tobey hooks up with an old friend from college (Eva Mendes) who is looking to cheat on her husband, and Elaine starts dating a handsome musician (James LeGros) who may be in need of a green card. Meanwhile, Rebecca and Tom go into couples therapy, which creates as many problems as it solves. Trust the Man also features Ellen Barkin, Garry Shandling, and Bob Balaban. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Eva Mendes - Faith; Dagmara Dominczyk - Pamela; Glenn Fitzgerald - Goren; Justin Bartha - Jasper; John Ellison Conlee - Usher; Bob Balaban; Sterling K. Brown - Rand; Liam Broggy - David; Ellen Barkin - Norah; Garry Shandling - Dr. Beekman; Sascha Gillen - Baby Maggie; Brianna Gillen - Baby Maggie; Scott Sowers - Terminex Guy; Sarah Knowlton - Elaine's Boss; Brian Tarantina - Crazy Hair Driver; David Greenspan - Francis, the Director; Caroline Schlobohm - Shannon; Teresa Yenque - Maria, the Babysitter; Kiran Merchant - Newspaper Vendor; Tom Riis Farrell - Waiter; Caleb Freundlich - Cosmos; Jayne Houdyshell - Sex Addicts Leader; Todd M. Hofacker - Misplaced Sex Addict; Peter S. Bencebi - Cynical New Yorker; Kate Jennings Grant - Woman Who Can't Get Enough; Frederick B. Owens - John, Preferably Coarse; Jim Gaffigan - Gordon, Bitter Sex Addict; Steven Glenn - Rocker at the Bar; Paul Hecht - Amis; Steven M. Wargo - Dinner Guest; Sherry Ham - Lincoln Center Fan; Gretchen Cleevely - Assistant Stage Manager; Sean Dugan - Stage Manager; Hollis Granville - Stage Actor; Jimmy King - Audience Member; Chris Champeau - Audience Member; Francine Beers - Old Lady; Liv Freundlich - Older Maggie; Noelle Beck - Flight Attendant
Credit
John Numarkay - Art Director, Meredith Zamsky - Associate Producer, Paul Bernard - Associate Producer, Douglas Aibel - Casting, David Campbell - Conductor, Michael Clancy - Costume Designer, Paul Bernard - First Assistant Director, Bart Freundlich - Director, John Gilroy - Editor, Marina Grasic - Executive Producer, Evelyn O'Neill - Executive Producer, Brian Sheratt - Hair Styles, Jeanne Henry - Hair Styles, Clint Mansell - Composer (Music Score), Daniel Wise - Musical Direction/Supervision, Tania Ribalow - Makeup, Maya Hardinge - Makeup, Susan Reilly Lehane - Makeup, Amanda Ross - Makeup, Kevin Thompson - Production Designer, Tim Orr - Cinematographer, Leni Calas - Production Manager, Tim Perell - Producer, Bart Freundlich - Producer, Sidney Kimmel - Producer, William Sarokin - Sound/Sound Designer, Peter Bucossi - Stunts Coordinator, Michael Russo - Stunts Coordinator, Bart Freundlich - Screenwriter, Cosmas Paul Bolger Jr. - Visual Effects Supervisor, Chi-Yoon Chung - Associate Editor, Scott Miller - Gaffer, Andy Kris - Re-Recording Mixer, William Amot - Steadicam Operator, Dave Paterson - Supervising Sound Editor, Cosmas Paul Bolger Jr. - Visual Effects Producer, Annemarie Bradley - Key Hairstylist, Digital Filmworks - Visual Effects, Mila Khalevich - Set Decorator, Deborah Ross - Title Design, Sherry Heart - Department Head Hair
Rebecca is a film actress, who is about to make her stage debut at Lincoln Center. Her husband, Tom gave up a lucrative job in advertising to take care of their young daughter. Occasionally, Tom and Rebecca have sex; once a year, they meet with their therapist, Dr. Beekman.
Tom and Rebecca's best friends are her brother Tobey, a sportswriter, and his girlfriend Elaine. Elaine, who has been dating Tobey for seven years, has begun to feel the ticking of her biological clock.
Tom and Rebecca each face extramarital temptations. Tom responds to a personal crisis that stems from his decision to choose kids over career by watching pornography and having an affair with a divorced mother from his son's school. Rebecca is pursued on the set by a young costar, Jasper, who would like to be able to claim that he's bedded a famous actress.
