Trance

“What we are is the sum of everything we've ever said, done and felt all wrapped up in one unique thread, which is constantly being revised and remembered. To be yourself, you have to constantly remember yourself.” Trance is a sophisticated game with the audience that doesn’t make much sense (it has put too much on its shoulders), but is unpredictable from start to finish and damn entertaining, mysterious and sexy. Danny Boyle is having fun here with a kaleidoscopically varied perception of events and confused character motivations, and reveals his weakness for Brian De Palma’s fast-paced thrillers. (28/10/2014)

Danny Boyle scores points with his truly unmistakable style even in the field of a hard-to-classify psychological heist thriller, which is wonderfully subtle and actually quite unpredictable. An exemplary symbiosis of sound and image (one of the best "hypnotic" soundtracks used in the film), novel creative techniques (even a simple slap can be filmed and presented in an evocative and original way), and one of the top performances by Rosario Dawson, who must have been cast in this role by some casting genius. I like Boyle much better in this slightly unconventional and understated position (I’m looking at you, Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire), as these types of more modest and intimate works give him much more scope to use his undeniable talent and original techniques. (10/02/2019)

An overcooked start. There is a voiceover, an unreliable narrator, an attractive plot, and expensive art. After twenty minutes, only a hint of the original idea remains, which surprisingly, even by Danny Boyle's standards, fails to reach a sufficiently high level with its piercing visual and thunderous musical accompaniment. I am all for surprising twists or the denial of clichés through lively passion. However, all of this must not happen at the expense of the viewer's engagement. (22/12/2015)

Boyle is similar to Nolan and Tarantino in that every film is original, yet he still maintains some of his traditional directing finesse. He attacks the audience with opulent minimalist visuals as well as dense psychology. Trance has excellent visual aesthetics, light manipulation, and a contemporary feeling. It captivates with a strong screenplay and the fact that despite the several script spirals and twists towards the end, the film never gets tangled. The plot is clear, well-explained, and makes perfect sense. At the same time, the theme of hypnosis is presented complex enough to fascinate and immerse the viewer, but also concisely enough to not bore someone who doesn't understand it and won’t make any sense to a layman. (18/01/2014)

After a second viewing, I had to go one star lower with my rating, because what I found original at first turned out to be annoying the second time around. I mean the endless series of big reveals that had me going around in circles for so long that it almost felt like having been hypnotized and put on a swing ride. Of the big revelations, the most interesting turned out to be the one delivered by Rosario Dawson. I liked Tuppence Middleton though only in a mini role, and McAvoy's slimy smile still haunts me at night. (15/08/2017)