Trance

Trance

Trance is a who done it with a lot of who’s. James McAvoy is an auctioneer who steals a Goya and is in cahoots with the gang staging the robbery. He betrays his fellow thieves by stealing the painting and hiding it. In an attempt to flee he is knocked unconscious with a rifle butt from one of the gang members. He loses his memory and cannot recall where he hid the painting. The movie resolves around him trying to regain his memory. The gang leader is Vincent Cassell (he is the bad French guy from Ocean’s Eleven). He and three other accomplices torture and beat up McAvoy to try to get him to talk, but his amnesia is intractable. Frustrated with their efforts Cassell decides to use a hypnotist. Rosario Dawson is the hypnotist who helps McAvoy to regain his memory. Unfortunately other memories surface besides the location of the lost Goya.

What is remembered changes the plot. Bad guys get shuffled around. This is when the plot gets muddled. It is a bit more confusing than surprising. McAvoy’s change of persona is a bit disconcerting.  Rosario Dawson was a combination of steel and beauty. She plays a pivotal role but her sex appeal is a ruse.

Vincent Cassell plays to type. He plays the bad guy well, but with a sameness that we have seen before. The ensemble of actors works well with each and I would not discourage you from seeing this movie. Some parts of the movie are violent and pretty graphic. Also if you strongly object to female frontal nudity, this is not your movie. As for me I am OK with it.