 |
| Courtesy of Fox Searchlight |
I don’t
always love Danny Boyle’s films, but I appreciate him as a director for a
couple of reasons. First, he always comes up with inventive ways to visually convey
his stories. No matter the plot, his flicks will dazzle you with their images.
Second,
it seems like Boyle deliberately avoids making the same kind of movie twice. A
look at his filmography reveals a murder mystery (Shallow Grave), an
ultra-black comedy about heroin addiction (Trainspotting), a zombie flick (28
Days Later…), a family film (Millions), sci-fi (Sunshine), a modern fairy
tale (Slumdog Millionaire) and more.
Now
there’s Trance, the director’s stab at both a heist film and a psychosexual
thriller. While it’s not entirely successful – I had some issues with the third
act – the way Boyle creatively connects each piece of the puzzle is wildly
entertaining to watch. This is due to (yet again) incredible visuals and some
top-notch work from actors Rosario Dawson, James McAvoy and Vincent Cassel.
The
less said about the plot, the better; most of the fun comes from experiencing the
film’s twists and turns. If you don’t enjoy wondering, “what the heck is going
on?!” every few minutes, Trance probably isn’t for you.
McAvoy
plays a fine arts auctioneer who gets mixed up with a criminal (Cassel) trying
to steal a priceless painting. When the painting disappears, the two men are
forced to seek the help of a hypnotherapist (Dawson) to figure out where it’s
stashed. Soon, it’s obvious that no one is even remotely trustworthy considering the
various hidden agendas.
Until
things fall apart with the big reveal, Trance is a twisty, mind-melt of a
movie. The plot asks viewers to buy into hypnotism as some kind of magic spell,
and then uses that conceit to dive into the subconscious of several characters with
inventive storytelling, clever camera tricks and terrific set design.
The
screenplay by Joe Ahearne and John Hodge is crafted to make the audience root
for a different character every 20 minutes or so, making it crucial to pay
nonstop attention. An ill-timed bathroom break could ruin the movie for
you.
Performances
are solid all around. McAvoy starts out incredibly likeable but undergoes a
number of startling personality changes throughout, allowing him to showcase a
wide range. Cassel plays up the persona American moviegoers have come to expect
from him (Ocean’s Twelve, Black Swan) only to change it up at the last
minute – it’s surprisingly effective, considering the character’s early
behavior.
But
the real standout here is Dawson, who delivers delicate, layered and physically
fearless work as someone who has a great deal invested in the success of the
group’s endeavor. I’ve often said people tend to underestimate her acting
ability because of her stunning beauty, and Trance is going to be a
fascinating part of that conversation going forward.
Unfortunately,
the film wraps up with a “let me explain everything in minute detail” monologue
that reveals the audience never had a shot at figuring out what was really
going on. Not a dealbreaker for me – just disappointing – but some viewers are
going to leave feeling cheated. Still, Trance is worth it just to experience the
visual and narrative risks Boyle takes with his storytelling.
Trance is rated
R for sexual content, graphic nudity, violence, some grisly images, and
language.
Grade:
B-
Comments
Post a Comment