Trance

Trance (2013) is about an auction house employee who cannot remember where he hid a stolen painting. Simon is responsible for security procedure at an auction house. During a robbery he tries to save the painting and is struck on the head. When the gang open the case the frame is empty; he put it somewhere and does not remember where. They try torture first and it does not work. Then they take him to a hypnotherapist. Elizabeth begins the sessions. The idea is that what is recalled under hypnosis is not reliable and that the therapist can steer it. Simon's account changes and which version is true becomes unclear. Then a third layer opens: why Elizabeth took the work in the first place. Danny Boyle prepared it alongside the opening ceremony of the London Olympics; he shot it before the ceremony and finished the edit after. James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson and Vincent Cassel star. Anthony Dod Mantle photographed it; the colour is deliberately saturated and reflections are used constantly. Rick Smith wrote the score. The explanation in the final section shifts the whole moral ground and caused argument; some viewers feel the film puts a character somewhere indefensible and leaves them there. One scene involves sexual violence and is distressing. The layers of narrative become too many at some point and the effect weakens. It runs 101 minutes. Good for: psychological thrillers, twist construction, and Boyle. Less good for: the structure has too many turns and sexual violence is part of the subject.