Trance – review

Similar to Side Effects, Trance is by a director who has the ability to hop genres with ease, who is  very popular but also I don’t particularly like his films all that much. Sorry. Also like Side Effects the less you know about what happens in Trance the better. The essentials are that the plot involves an art heist, a knock on the head and a hypnotist.

The plot takes plenty of twists and turns, but unlike many other movies when dreams are used to introduce what ifs, then to wake up and reveal its okay because its only a dream. The structure of the film doesn’t leave you discombobulated even though plenty of dreams, contain lies and enigmas. Truths and secrets are revealed within dreams,  even if the characters don’t realise it yet. The movie also employs a clever use of sharp reflective surfaces and bright neon light. The visuals simultaneously drawing you in and making you keep your distance.

The central 3 players are all good, in general if Vincent Cassel is in it, the film will be watchable. Rosario Dawson strangely has a lack of ears through out the film.Aside from an unexpected, slightly jarring use of female nudity and James McAvoys ginger sideburns, both of which felt out of place.  Does having an American, a Scot and a Frenchman mean something or is this just  a coincidence or the just the start of a joke?

By the end credits you are left to question who is the bad guy and who is the wronged party. It does trip over and fall down over its own feet at the very end. Dreams have to give way to reality and conventions takes over, but I was engrossed throughout.