Harrill Reporting

Death Defying Acts is a feature film directed and written by Gillian Armstrong. A young girl (Saoirse Ronan) is side-kick to her “psychic” mother played by Catherine Zeta-Jones. When the legendary escapologist and master magician Harry Houdini (Guy Pearce) offers money to get the last words of his mother from psychics, whom he hopes to show as frauds, the mother and daughter pair embark on a life changing journey.

This feature made me fall in love with Harry Houdini all over again. Growing up, I was interested in magic and those who mastered it. So, I am relieved to see the accuracy of the legend that is Houdini. I was most impressed by the precise wardrobe, grooming, and build of Guy Pearce as Harry Houdini. Also, the cinematography is appealing and the sets are astonishingly breathtaking. The set designer did a fabulous job in this film. I also love the theme of water throughout this film. It makes me wonder why the director chose to do this. Is it because water is always living, always constantly moving while everything around us ceases to be. Which seems to be what Houdini wants to happen. He wants to continue, and he did. He is forever a legend.

4.5 film reels