1/10/18. Now THIS IS a psychological thriller, if there ever was one! Boyle does a nice job of confusing the viewer of what is a dream and what is reality. And, it works! McAvoy and Cassel are art thieves out to double-cross one another. Cassel hits McAvoy on the head and he becomes amnesiac and doesn't remember where he hid the painting. They hire Dawson, a hypnotherapist, to tease out the location. But, not all is what it seems. Taut thriller that is worth watching.

Utter guff. Got so bored halfway through I cracked open the rum and got a lash on. Barely paid any attention to the second half but don't think I missed much. Seeing Rosario Dawson's chebs doesn't even make up for this pish. Apparently you have to write 10 lines but I'm finding it difficult to write a couple of lines about how bad this was. It doesn't help that I've drank rum, maybe that's why I didn't like it but I doubt it. Don't get me wrong, I like Danny Boyle's films but not this steaming dungheap. Did I say that I drank rum? And some Prosecco to kill the pain. I watched some mosh pits on YouTube afterwards and that cheered me up no end.

Danny Boyle is one of the industry's most innovative, versatile and inventive modern directors. He has a solid track-record of great films, but I don't think Trance is one of them. Trance is one of those movies that shouldn't be a movie. When there is so much filler and unnecessary scenes that it may as well be an episode from a TV show or TV movie. My hopes for a solid piece or entertainment were high during the first act, but from then on, the movie takes a sharp turn down a road of mediocrity that really doesn't end anywhere.The first act of the film were charming and witty. We see a cast of familiar and talented faces as James McAvoy's character lays it down for us. It at first reminded me of a Guy Ritchie film, with it's energetic camera movements, witty narration and character introductions familiar to Snatch, but sadly this is not nearly as enjoyable after the first act.The problem with Trance is that the story is so muddled with unnecessary scenes and filler that it almost feels unfinished and very rushed. Like they needed more scenes to fill a feature-length run time but were running out of ideas. The story itself is very linear but is never simple or focused. The movie never follows it's narrative clearly and it leads to some confusion during viewing, which was eventually frustrating because it seemed Trance never really cared about telling a cohesive story, let alone even finish it.One of my biggest issues is the exploitation of themes within the film. Rosario Dawson goes fully nude for the film and the scene in which this occurs was meant to be sexy and enjoyable for the audience. But it just felt super exploitative and unnecessary to the story. It felt like it was shoved in to actually get people to talk about the film but it was just awfully executed and felt awkward to watch. The same goes for the violence. Trance is surprisingly graphic at times but I was having a hard time trying to figure out why. The brutal violence strayed so far away from the original tone of the movie that it as well felt unnecessary and overdone. Trance really doesn't understand it's audience and it led to a generally displeasing viewing experience.The hypnosis sequences are really the only interesting part of the film but by the end they get tiring and overdone. There were way too many of these scenes and it felt as if Boyle was including all these trippy sequences to make up for the awful "love story" occurring in the secondary story arch as the relationships and feelings these characters share are never clear.In total, Trance is a messy, bloated, unfinished skeleton of a film. With some more work and editing done to it, Trance could've been a lot better but as it stands now it is only a fraction of Boyle's real talent behind the camera. Trance is the kind of movie that you want to love because of the cool concept and narrative style, but can never get into because the movie doesn't really seem to care. The choppy and exploitative story is predictable and certainly not viewer-friendly. If you're looking for some mindless and forgettable entertainment then Trance will do you well. Just don't expect to come out happy and satisfied.

When I first found this movie, I was quite excited about it, since I had just watched James McAvoy's "Filth" (which was amazing) and the genre, story line, etc. all seemed very interesting. I was really expecting much more than what the movie was actually like.The plot was interesting, as it was a genre of action, mystery and thriller, which I love to watch. The beginning part was also quite eye-catching and even until when Simon meets the hypnotherapist, the development of the plot wasn't bad. Then, the whole thing started to go off the topic.Some people might argue that this movie, from the beginning, wasn't about fighting against some "bad people", but about some kind of psychological emotions and tensions between the characters. But for me, the switching between dreams, past, and the present situation was confusing, and it was hard for me to focus on repeating scenes that consists mostly of only a few similar emotions such as fear, anxiety, uneasiness, etc.I think the director intended to confuse the viewers to some degree, and make it seem like a complicated movie that makes everyone think that the director is a genius. But actually, it really isn't. The story is in fact, very flat and dreary. The story wasn't the confusing part for me, but the intention of it was. As it gets to the end, it puts me into sleep rather than into trance, and the element of mystery and hypnosis fades. It focuses more on the aspect of vengeance, hatred, and eroticism.The effects although, throughout the movie, gives me a strong impression and is somewhat memorable. The angle each scene is captured and the lighting is uniquely stylish. The acting of James McAvoy and most of the other actors/actresses are also good, but the plain expressions of Rosario Dawson was a little distracting. Overall, the movie didn't meet my expectations, and seemed quite messed up, but the beautiful display of this complex structure made me keep watching.