Reese Donahue (Jessica Rothe), an aspiring writer living in Chicago, comes from an affluent family and has always had everything handed to her on a silver platter by her very generous and loving father, Grayson (Kevin Kilner). He even gives her a job at the company that he owns despite that she lacks the proper qualifications. When she discovers that her deceased mother had left her and her older sister, Audrey (Louise Dylan), a $10 million inheritance in a trust fund, she secretly takes her inheritence money and flies to Italy to stay with her Italian boyfriend. She all the money to him, though, for an investment that doesn't quite pay off in the way that she expected. Meanwhile, her father hires a private investigator (Willie Garson) to track her down, and Sam (Matt Kane), a potential love interest, waits for her in Chicago.

      Trust Fund deals with a few universal, relatable and timely issues including the struggles of following one's dream and becoming truly autonomous during these shallow times. Reese might seem like an unlikable character given that she took the money out of the trust fund without permission, but it's common for young adults like her to make irrational decisions that they later regret. The real question though is whether or not she'll learn from her mistakes and never repeat them. The screenplay by Sandra L. Martin doesn't quite answer that question concretely because Reese's father never punishes her for her wrongdoings. In fact, he's very forgiving---perhaps too forgiving. It could very well be that Reese suffers from affluenza because she doesn't seem to grasp that her actions have consequences until after to commits them. Does she have any genuine empathy? That question is up for interpretation. Either way, Reese comes across as a fallible young woman which makes her all the more human and relatable. Martin should be commended for centering the film around a female character who's not objectified but instead a complex human being. Jessica Rothe is very well-cast in the lead role, and has charisma---she's just a charismatic as Lola Kirke from Mistress America.

      The production values look quite impressive with slick cinematography, picturesque locations and a fast enough pace so that very few scenes drag. To be fair, though, the third act does feel a bit rushed with a few contrived twists and convenient, somewhat overly simplified, Hollywood-ish turns of events that won't be spoiled here, but those are minor flaws that don't take too much away from the film's entertainment value. Ultimately, Trust Fund is a captivating, well-directed and timely drama with a radiant breakthrough performance by Jessica Rothe.