Set in 1926, Death Defying Acts is a partially fictionalised story directed by Australian Gillian Armstrong, about the mysterious Harry Houdini. Houdini is a complex man of extraordinary talent and steely determination played convincingly by Guy Pearce and the success of the film rides on the gradual unravelling of this mysterious character.

The death of Houdini’s  mother has left a residual guilt that Houdini tries to exorcise through the use of a psychic, excusing the act as a scientific test into the validity of psychic ability. When Harry offers a $10,000 prize to the psychic who can tell him his mother’s dying words, an economically challenged mother-daughter team  of performing tricksters take on the challenge.

Mary McGarvie, played by Catherine Zeta-Jones, doesn’t wear much during the duo’s hammy performances, and as her precocious daughter Benji explains, the audience either attend “for a glimpse of the afterlife, or just a glimpse of Mum”.

Fairly unsurprisingly the magician falls for Mary and cracks in his strong if elusive exterior begin to appear. Benji, superbly played by actor Saoirse Ronan, notices that her mother is jeopardising her chances of winning by falling for Houdini. Tensions develop between all three but the overriding emotion is, however, mutual love and our three protagonists will each learn a valuable lesson.

As a family film Death Defying Acts is an entertaining diversion, even if the relationships are a little unconvincing. Don’t expect to take anything particularly valuable away from this film, but it certainly is an aesthetically pleasing portrait of one of show biz’s more interesting and mysterious characters. Some of the performances are very good (the stagey Mr. Sugarman played by Timothy Spall is entertaining) and the protagonists are most definitely likeable, but it is doubtful if Death Defying Acts could indeed defy a cinematic death in the eyes of some more discerning viewers.