Trance (2013 film)

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Trance is a 2013 psychological thriller directed by Danny Boyle. The screenplay is by Joe Ahearne and John Hodge, based on Ahearne’s story, and it stars James McAvoy, Vincent Cassel and Rosario Dawson. The world premiere was in London on 19 March 2013, with UK release on 27 March and US release on 5 April. The film runs 101 minutes and had a budget of about $20 million, grossing around $24 million.

Plot
During a risky heist at an auction, the thieves discover the package they stole contains only an empty frame, revealing that their inside man, Simon Newton, double‑crossed them and lost the painting. Simon is knocked unconscious and later suffers memory loss (amnesia) about where the painting is. The thieves hire hypnotherapist Elizabeth Lamb to help him remember. As Elizabeth hypnotizes Simon, a complicated relationship develops between them. It becomes clear that Simon has a gambling problem and had an affair with Elizabeth; she has used hypnosis on him before to protect herself. Elizabeth’s sessions gradually uncover clues about the painting, but the plan spirals into danger. In the end, betrayal, jealousy and manipulation drive the action to a violent climax in a warehouse, where Elizabeth’s actions lead to Simon’s death. Franck, the remaining thief, escapes with the painting, while Elizabeth disappears. Later, Franck receives an iPad containing a video of Elizabeth and the painting, along with an app called Trance that could erase the memory of the whole ordeal, leaving him with a choice: remember or forget.

Production and release
Trance builds on a TV film by Ahearne; Boyle encouraged him to develop it into a feature. Screenwriter John Hodge was brought in to polish the script. Michael Fassbender was initially cast as Franck but dropped out; Vincent Cassel took the role, with Rosario Dawson, James McAvoy and others cast later. Filming took place mainly in London and Kent starting in September 2011, with additional work in Ronchamp, France. Music was composed by Rick Smith of the band Underworld. The film premiered in London and was released in the UK, US and France in 2013, with DVD and Blu-ray available July 2013.

Reception
Trance received generally positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes gives it around 68% approval, and Metacritic scores it 61 out of 100. Empire magazine praised it as stylish entertainment and later included it in its top films of 2013. Critics noted Boyle’s stylish direction and the film’s mind-bending premise, even as some found the plot thinner than his other work.