Jason Lancaster

Directed by Gillian Armstrong

Guy Pearce plays Harry Houdini in 1920’s Edinburgh, Scotland. Houdini offers £10,000 to anyone who can tell him the last words of his deceased mother. Zeta-Jones’ character is a single mother trying to make her way as a con artist/psychic. She sets her sights on Houdini when she learns of the £10,000 reward. With the help of her daughter, Benji, she gathers the information she needs to guess Houdini’s mother’s last words. As she gets closer to Houdini, her motivation changes to love instead of money.

Armstrong directs a great film. The set design and costumes are believable and accurate. The actors have a very convincing Scottish accent. The plot is easy to follow without being completely predictable. The daughter Benji, is played by Saoirse Ronan. She plays a flawless role as a sidekick in the beginning and a great job in the climax scene.