Trance

The premise of "Trance" is a bit convoluted but once it gets going it's thoroughly entertaining and there are ample twists to keep you guessing. My advice is to read about the premise just enough so that you know what you’re getting into (I’ll help you with that in a moment) Once you’re there, check out the movie and you won’t be shocked by the setup so it will be smooth sailing ahead.

The film begins with an art heist that goes wrong. Simon (James McAvoy) is the inside man who was supposed to steal the painting, but now it’s missing and he’s suffered a head injury in the chaos so he doesn’t remember where it is hidden. It’s clear that he was trying to make off with it on his own and he’s been caught but now no one has it. His criminal associates (including Vincent Cassel as the ringleader) decide that desperate measures are needed. They send Simon to a hypnotherapist named Elizabeth Lamb (played pretty bravely by Rosario Dawson) in the hopes that the sessions will jog his memory. As the sessions reveal more about the heist and the people involved, it becomes apparent that there are few reasons for everyone in the group to trust each other.

This story could have really fallen apart if it had been sloppily written so that it was full of plot holes or featured bad acting. Thankfully the performances in the film are all very good and there is strong chemistry between Vincent Cassel and Rosario Dawson that allows you to believe that the "boss" of the operation would go along with the hypnotherapy plan. There’s a lot of manipulation and scheming going on so there’s plenty more than just the painting, the amnesia and the hypnotherapy to “Trace”. I wouldn’t have minded getting to know some of the side characters a bit more, but they’re good in the small roles they have and this story is really about the three main characters and the painting. Whether Elizabeth will have to be eliminated from the equation, if the therapy will even work, where Simon hid the painting and why he chose to do so.

The visual style and camera work stand out as very impressive. There are some cool color tinted shots that are very beautiful and remind you of the painted masterpieces that are being displayed in the art auction house. It’s a fun movie to simply stare at, and Rosario Dawson plays a big part in that.

Despite the weird premise, the characters act logically within the story and this allows you to get sucked into this thriller. As the movie goes along you can never really figure out who is conspiring against whom. It's very entertaining to watch and come up with theories as more and more pieces of the puzzle are revealed. While watching the story there will be a few moments where you will get confused. I know I was. Have no fear, by the time the picture wraps itself up you'll know exactly what happened in every scene and why. Director Danny Boyle deliberately put the moments of confusion present in the film. He wants the mystery of what happened to the stolen painting (and the reason why it went missing) to remain a mystery until the final climax of the film and we’re stepping in the shoes of a bunch of people that also don’t know so it’s all on an even playing ground.

“Trance” is truly unpredictable and manages to overcome the shortcomings in the writing. Even if ultimately you find the movie to be "just ok" you'll be happy to have sat through it. Bottom line is: "Trance" is kind of a hard-to-swallow story (but not completely preposterous) with great performances and solid visuals that makes for a movie that is full of nice twists and pretty entertaining to watch. (Theatrical version on the big screen, March 2, 2013)