Trance

Starring: James McAvoy, Vincent Cassel, Rosario Dawson, Danny Sapani
Directed by: Danny Boyle
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Mystery
2013

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: An art auctioneer (James McAvoy) assists a criminal (Vincent Cassel) in stealing an expensive work of art. However, he suffers a head injury, and forgets where he hid the work of art. To jump start his memories, they turn to a hypnotherapist (Rosario Dawson) to help him recall.

Review:

Tim: I generally like Danny Boyle's movies, and I was looking forward to Trance. This is certainly an original movie, and I appreciate the uniqueness of the story. This is an exciting, unexpected movie that throws a number of twists and turns to keep the audience off balance. This was a fun movie to watch. While the big revelations at the end were a little underwhelming, this is still a solid, entertaining movie.

Boyle assembles a very good cast- that's one of the best aspects of this film. I'm a big fan of James McAvoy, and he gives another good performance here. He's just such a solid, enjoyable actors. He is likeable enough that there's no problem rooting for him as a character, and he draws the audience in. I also thought Rosario Dawson gave a very strong performance. She was mysterious, and believable as a hypnotherapist. She worked very well with the rest of the cast, and I really enjoyed her here. I also like Vincent Cassel, and he has a great ability to make an interesting, complex, antagonist. These three actors work exceptionally well together, and they were a big reason I enjoyed this film.

The story is quite interesting, and Boyle's unconventional film making style gives this film an added touch of intrigue. He does a great job of keeping the audience guessing- I really had no idea how the film would turn out. I will say that the best mysteries keep the audience in the dark, but give out just enough so you always feel like you're almost able to figure out what's happening. There were a few times in this film where I almost felt like throwing my hands up because I was feeling a little lost. It was a great technique to dive into McAvoy's mind to make you question whether what you were watching was real or a product of his injured mind. I loved that ambiguity, except for a few moments here and there, where I got a little frustrated with having no idea what was going on. I do love the mystery that pervaded so much of this film.

At the end of the movie, we finally get the answers we'd been waiting for, and frankly, they are a little underwhelming. I didn't hate the revelations, but they weren't especially interesting. In a few cases, they were a little hard to swallow. This hurts the film some, because the mystery keeps building and building, and there's a slight letdown at the end. There's not enough to leave a bad taste in your mouth, but I just wanted a more compelling conclusion.

Even though this film has some real flaws, Danny Boyle still directs a good movie. The mystery kept me engaged, and the film moves quickly so that the 101 minute run time never feels long. Trance is a film that challenges the audience, and I loved that challenge of following alone. This is a solid, twisting film, and I enjoyed watching it.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7



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