First rule of Trance is: You don't talk about Trance. And that makes reviewing it difficult. It's too easy to give too much away. This is one of those films to consider avoiding the trailer and going in blind. Certainly don't talk to anyone about it first! My immediate thought as the final credits scrolled was "I need to see that again tomorrow!" It's tempting to say Trance is Danny Boyle's finest offering yet, but that would be a disservice to the brilliance of Trainspotting and 28 Days Later et al. It isn't going to hit the general populace in the way Slumdog Millionaire did, mostly because it isn't an 'easy' film they can sit back and be entertained by. Trance requires a great deal more thought and investment on the viewer's part to fully appreciate the experience than any of Boyle's previous films, but the rewards are great for those who make the effort. Simon (James McAvoy) is a good guy, if a little nerdish, who works at a major art auction house. When a gang aims to steal a £20 million painting, he endeavours to follow protocol by slipping the painting in the safe, but things don't go according to plan and the painting disappears. Gang leader Franck (Vincent Cassell) is far from joyous and opts to torture the information out of Simon. The trouble is, Simon is suffering a severe case of amnesia following a crack on the head by a wall. Then Franck hits upon the idea of recruiting a hypnotherapist to unlock Simon's memories and reality starts bending. Trance is a head spin, but that's the greatest attraction of it. If Inception ticked all your boxes this, though an entirely different subject matter, will be a ride you'll thoroughly enjoy. Forget Oscar-winning effects, Trance is stylish and absolutely engrossing without them, relying instead on good performances and a detailed, complex and absorbing screenplay. Ten years ago, Trance would have starred Ewan McGregor and often it feels as though Joe Ahearne and John Hodge have written with him once again in mind, but James McAvoy makes Simon his own and, yes, he does atone for his laziness in last week's Welcome to the Punch. McAvoy is on riveting form here as a character who seems at ease with his work and life only for confusion and panic to take over and then, as his mind is probed, something else entirely to emerge. Boyle has crafted some of the finest character evolution we've seen on the big screen for years, not only from McAvoy but from also Rosairo Dawson, in particular. Her hypnotherapist Elizabeth is beautifully performed; at first controlled and elegant but her subtle glances and facial twitches suggest a strength of character not to be messed with. Cassell is, as always, bang on the money as the crook with a brain and a stomach for aggression when required. He's one of 'those' actors who crops up in all manner of films and can always be relied upon to add gravitas and, occasionally, an air of menace that might steal the film from under the principals' noses, but neither the strength of their own performances nor the skill of the director allows that to derail this stunning feast for the brain cells. Though the focus is, naturally, on the trio of stars, the supporting actors in Trance are gifted parts and dialogue they can breath life into and many of them could easily take control of the scenario if the screenplay dictated. Danny Sapani (Nate), a TV stalwart of staples (The Bill) and gems (Misfits) alike lands a rare film role that must surely lead to a greater presence on the big screen and, though credited simply as 'Young Woman in Red Car', Tuppence Middleton seizes our attention with her brief moments in the limelight. With the lead in Trap for Cinderella in the can, two Pierce Brosnan films (Love Punch and A Long Way Down) slated for release later this year and currently shooting the Wachowski's Jupiter Ascending, Middleton is an actor to keep a close eye on. But no matter how good the actors, they cannot hope to save a film if the screenplay and direction have gone AWOL, W.E. being a recent case in point. In Trance they have the best possible opportunity to shine because Boyle is on fire here. He weaves his story around an intricate structure of rabbit holes and avenues that many people won't get, understand or cope with. So switch on your brain, absorb the music, open your eyes and start running with it. It's a hell of a ride and worth every effort. For more reviews from The Squiss, subscribe to my blog and like the Facebook page.
Trance
(I) (2013)
First rule of Trance is: You don't talk about Trance.
27 March 2013
Warning: Spoilers