Danny Boyle returns to the big screen with the psychological thriller Trance.
Unlike his last two films, Boyle's latest won't likely be part of
awards season talk as the film's twists and turns will not be
universally liked. Trance is frustrating in some areas but strong
craftsmanship and style makes it a very compelling film that will keep
you guessing until the very last minute.
Simon (James McAvoy) is an auctioneer in a London art house who is
secretly working with gangster Franck (Vincent Cassell) and together
they planned to steal a valuable painting. But the robbery didn't go as
planned and in the course of the chaos Simon is hit in the head causing
him to lose a portion of his memory. When Simon can't remember where he
hid the stolen painting, Franck enlists the help of hypnotherapist
Elizabeth (Rosario Dawson) to retrieve the information. But Elizabeth
discovers more than just a simple case of lost memories.
Trance is one of those stories where people are not what they
seem to be and that they all have secrets to hide. The film will not
make it easy for the viewers to guess what is really going on as it
cleverly shifts attention from one element to one another. There are
hints early on that certain characters are not to be trusted but the
film maximizes each element to manipulate the viewer to think that they
know what's really happening just to shatter those notions a few minutes
later. The shifts could be confusing at some point but polished
direction and sleek pace keeps it from becoming a frustrating watch.
However, the revelation of what really happened will have to require the
ultimate suspension of disbelief as there are contrived coincidences
employed just to reach a twist. The twist also pushes for more emotional
heft but it's just too outrageous to work. Strong acting from the three
leads helped sustain the story and keep the characters human despite
some ridiculous turns. In particular, Rosario Dawson gives a commanding
performance which is necessary for the enigmatic character she plays.
While Trance does not hold all of its elements together, it still
succeeds in delivering high-class thriller entertainment. It will keep
you glued to your seats until the credits rolled and for a film that
delves into hypnotism, it's an impressive feat.
Rating: 8 / 10
Join the discussion at Pinoyexchange! Visit the TRANCE thread
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Previous Reviews:
Iron Man 3
It Takes a Man and a Woman
Aparisyon
The Croods
1 comment:
Nice review. Not Boyle’s best movie, but definitely the most fun he seems to have had with a movie in awhile. That’s definitely saying something, too.
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