Trance

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Trance

R

Released Apr 5, 2013

1h 41m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

68%

Tomatometer

184 Reviews

62%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Simon (James McAvoy), a fine-art auctioneer, joins a gang of thieves led by Franck (Vincent Cassel) to steal a priceless Goya painting. During the heist Simon suffers a head injury and awakes with no memory of where he hid the artwork. When torture and physical threats fail to break through his amnesia, Franck hires a hypnotherapist named Elizabeth (Rosario Dawson) to find the answer. But as Elizabeth probes the recesses of Simon's mind, the lines between truth and deceit start to blur.

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Critics Consensus

As stylish as ever, director Danny Boyle seems to be treading water with the surprisingly thinly written Trance -- but for fans of Boyle's work, it should still prove a trippily entertaining distraction.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

Trance is so in love with its dream-within-dream conceits it pays little attention to anything else. It pays little attention to detail, and you know how such things bother me.

Sep 4, 2018

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Ryan Gilbey

New Statesman

In the end, it's the unnecessary tricksiness of the film that halts its flow. A crucial human component is missing.

Oct 3, 2017

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Jason Bailey

Flavorwire

It's not that I don't think Boyle knows, by the time things start to get really bananas in the second half, that his movie is silly. I'm jut not convinced that he ever decided how he felt about it.

Jun 21, 2016

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JD Duran

InSession Film

I feel like the story took way too much time to get to what was really a set of circumstances that were manipulated...

Rated: B-

Aug 20, 2024

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Inside a twisting scenario about an art-heist-gone-wrong is Boyle’s more fascinating trip inside unconscious minds and damaged psyches.

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 12, 2022

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

One of my least favorite of Boyle's films.

Rated: 2.5/4.0

Sep 26, 2020

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Stephen D

The convoluted plot will lose many viewers and suggests 'style over substance'. A long slow watch.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

06/28/25

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Faiz D

If you're a Boyle fan lower your expectations a little. Its performances, visual style and attention to detail is enough make a very balanced film. If you love movies similar to Memento this is definitely something to check out.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/13/25

Full Review

thiago s

Filme bacaninha, o roteiro é mais ou menos, as cenas são bacaninhas, a história é mais ou menos, o elenco é bacaninha, e alguns ajudam a melhorar o filme, os personagens são bacanas, mas o filme deveria ter cenas melhores e mais relevantes.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

04/15/25

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Colin M

An odd unconvincing set-up, with people hunting a McGuffin for the whole film, and sex and violence thrown into the mix. I didn't find this a satisfying movie.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/25

Full Review

LÃºcio Leonardo P

I dare say that the film is really good! Yes, I agree, a little confusing, as we don't know if the scenes are images of hypnosis or if the situation is real, but everything is explained in the midst of chaos. Was it a tactic by director Danny Boyle to maintain suspense? If so, Danny did a great job directing. Actor James MacAvoy (remember WANTED from 2008?) is perfect in his character and his transformation. Could it be that being hypnotized we are so at their mercy? What a danger... Now, if not, then the film may be a bit exaggerated, but it still remains cool entertainment for those who are new to the subject, I liked it!!! And I have to confess, I was in a trance with the actress Rosário Dawson, oh oh, oh oh...

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/24

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Andy B

After a decent start, for a large portion of it's midsection the film is grindingly slow, muddled and filled with unlikeable characters. The ending picks up a little, but not nearly enough to make up for the preceding hour.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

05/21/23

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Danny Boyle

Director

James McAvoy

Simon

Rosario Dawson

Elizabeth

Vincent Cassel

Franck

Danny Sapani

Nate

Son of Havoc

Dominic

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Synopsis

Simon (James McAvoy), a fine-art auctioneer, joins a gang of thieves led by Franck (Vincent Cassel) to steal a priceless Goya painting. During the heist Simon suffers a head injury and awakes with no memory of where he hid the artwork. When torture and physical threats fail to break through his amnesia, Franck hires a hypnotherapist named Elizabeth (Rosario Dawson) to find the answer. But as Elizabeth probes the recesses of Simon's mind, the lines between truth and deceit start to blur.

Director: Danny Boyle
Producer: Christian Colson
Screenwriter: Joe Ahearne, John Hodge
Distributor: Fox Searchlight
Production Co: Cloud Eight, Decibel Films
Rating: R (Language|Graphic Nudity|Sexual Content|Some Grisly Images|Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 5, 2013, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 12, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.3M
Runtime: 1h 41m

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