Death Defying Acts Details

Extremely flimsy storyline!

I Thought I might be in for a treat with this film, seeing as Pearce and Zeta Jones are in it.But Pearce was simply awful as Houdini and Zeta Jones wasn't at all impressive as the psychic con woman.The plot was weak and unconvincing, and made for very tedious viewing.

[Highly rated reviewer]

An Unusual Film Based Around Mediumship and Fraud

I completely disagree with the previous 2 reviews. I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and I've never seen another film quite like it.

Based on a true story, set in Edinburgh, Scotland, it is set in the last few months of the great escapologist and magician Harry Houdini's life. This is NOT a film focusing on his whole life story as a magician or how focusing on his magic skills (if you want to see that kind of film see The Prestige or The Illusionist).

This film is about how both a mother (a struggling psychic who is a fraud) and her 9 year old sidekick daughter see a competition advertised at the cinema offering £10,000 to anyone who can contact the dead and reveal the last words uttered by Houdini's dying mother. Houdini was a well known sceptic, however wanted to be proven wrong. The next stop on his world tour is Edinburgh, Scotland, and the mother and daughter team set out to out-con the great Houdini. Do they pull it off?Or do other distractions get in the way?

Fantastic performances from Guy Pearce and Catherine Zeta Jones. However Saoirse Ronan as her 9 year old daughter steals the show. Her acting is superb.