"Trance" (2013)

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Simon, a fine art dealer, double-crosses a gang during the theft of a highly valuable painting, and ends up with amnesia so he can't remember where he hid the picture. They send him to hypnotherapist Elizabeth Lamb to try and get it out of him.
So you can probably guess from that premise that Trance is equal parts psychological and straightforward thrills – and director Danny Boyle has always been brilliant at that. The depictions of Simon's mind always ring very true, especially in how Elizabeth sometimes appears in the rooms he imagines as she talks to him. And later on, after Elizabeth finds out about the gang and has them sit in on the therapy sessions, they too start to appear in Simon's mind, making it clear that he feels crowded and can't concentrate with them around.
The movie does take a very predictable turn by suggesting that Elizabeth may have ulterior motives, but to be fair, I was still interested in how it would all be resolved.
Sadly, though, the last act is where the movie really falls apart. Obviously I don't want to spoil any details, but the climax throws first one plot twist at you, then another, and another – almost to the point of lunacy! Not to mention, one particular reveal is a ridiculous lapse in logic.
In conclusion, while it's not Danny Boyle's best work, this is still an interesting psychological thriller – and probably the best 2013 release I've rented so far.

My rating: 70%