Trance: Blu-ray Review
The Movie:
Fine art auctioneer Simon (James McAvoy), in league with a gang led by underworld boss Franck (Vincent Cassel), plots the audacious theft of a masterpiece by Goya from a major public auction. When Simon double-crosses the gang during the robbery, Franck retaliates violently and knocks him unconscious. In the aftermath of the heist, Simon sticks stubbornly – and perhaps shrewdly – to his claim that the violent trauma has left him with no memory of where he stashed the artwork. Unable to coerce the painting’s location from Simon, Franck and his associates reluctantly join forces with a charismatic hypnotherapist (Rosario Dawson) in a bid to get him to talk. But as they journey deeper into Simon’s jumbled psyche the boundaries between reality and hypnotic suggestion begin to blur and the stakes rise faster and far more dangerously than any of the players could have anticipated.
When you watch a film and it completely surprises you that’s when you know something great has been created. I did not expect a noir crime thriller from a title that makes it seem like this could be about raves, drugs and dancing. Danny Boyle has made a film that makes you question every single person and really blurs the line between good and bad. Throughout the entire film all I did was question everyones actions (including Simon) and continued to guess what was going to happen next. McAvoy provided a stellar performance to an already fantastic film. I think his uncertainty of everything he thinks he knew is what drew me in about his character. It was just so complex and when you think you know something about Simon then they flip it and throw in another variable. Cassel is one of those actors that you hope doesn’t get typecast. He is such a great actor but this man is ALWAYS playing bad guys for the most part but this role was a bit different. Sure he was the criminal but he was a different kind of criminal. You could see him somewhat falling in love and that’s not something I’ve remembered from his previous roles (please correct me if I’m wrong). Then there’s the lovely Rosario Dawson who as soon as she talks makes you want to be at her beck and call. I think that’s what they were going for in a sense. Her role in the film was pretty important one and as you watch you can see that she uses her intelligence and beauty to get what she wants. I’ve always been a fan of Dawson all the way back when she was in Kids but I’ve really loved her range as an actress. She’s proved that she can literally do it ALL. She’s the epitome of the words Triple Threat and I’ll continue to look forward to what she has to offer the film industry. This is not just a must watch but a MUST BUY!
Special Features:
Deleted Scenes – There some pretty good ones there but I could see how certain ones were cut. The were a few that you could tell would’ve slowed the film down a bit and were unnecessary.
The Power Of Suggestion: Making Trance – A very intriguing documentary with interviews from the cast and Danny Boyle himself. They delve into the focus of the film and what challenges they faced when trying to make it.
Danny Boyle Retrospective – An amazing look at all of Boyle’s films as he talks a little about each one. To me it feels a bit too soon for a retrospective but it was really good nonetheless.
Short Film: Eugene by Spencer Susser – A really good and funny take on a modern “Genie in a Bottle” story.
