Trance film review

I hope Christopher Nolan was taking notes while watching Trance; this is how you make a film that flips between past and present, reality and the imaginary.  As I watched Trance I could not help but think that Danny Boyle could have made Inception a brilliant film (it so very nearly was...except it was stupid).  Evidently, I have not yet forgiven Nolan for wasting those hours of my life.  Trance, though, offers some great lessons on how to move on with one's life, so it is likely I will very soon be cured.

Although it starts out masquerading as a heist film, it soon becomes clear that the real story is much more personal - and has probably largely already taken place.  The wonderful thing about Boyle's storytelling is that he really keeps you guessing.  He drops clues just often enough to keep you wanting more, but it is a long time before the truth is actually revealed.  It takes a master to maintain suspense as long as he does, and he uses a variety of methods - often more sophisticated than the incidental music soap operas have claimed as their own, but sometimes as simple as a tap left running off-screen.

All this suspense may sound excruciating to some.  And well it would be if the only mystery to unravel were the whereabouts of a certain bounty.  But as the tale progresses we witness some twisted and intriguing behaviour between characters that we cannot help but wonder about their shared histories.  And explaining the true nature of the relationships amongst our motley crew becomes the real mystery we wish to uncover.

Add to all of this some Boyle's signature colour-rich aesthetic, some unexpected violence and some rather creatively justified nudity and hey presto, we have a blockbuster.

Fine performances all round, but this film relies mostly on its carefully crafted and carefully revealed plot.  I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

See this film if you need a supplement of the sublime to get you through, as we continue the excruciating wait till the next Kaufman film.