Certainly the heist movie is a staple for film. The usual involves money, jewels, art, or a combination. As film has progressed the stories involved seem to get more elaborate
and, stretch credibility. Style over substance, if you will. It may be what movie-goers want – action and high-tech trickery usually equal a crime caper that scores at the box-office. Still, the cerebral, more realistic, heist movie begs to continually be revisited, if modernized.
Trance seeks to weave a more simple and believable, greatly thought-out and orchestrated, heist gone wrong saga. Celebrated director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire among others) gives his vision the less glitzy (i.e. grittier) atmosphere on which to build believability. Casting James McAvoy as the protagonist is in keeping with that view as he is a versatile dramatic lead with believability and bank ability, not to mention he's quite a talent.
An esteemed auction house in the midst of the sale of a super rare and expensive painting provides the crime scene. But first we are introduced to McElvoy's character, Simon, who as part of the auction house's security is responsible for removal, if possible without risk to life, of whatever valuable object is being sold. As expected an orchestrated heist ensues. Simon does his job, with a slight glitch in which he uses a stun-gun to momentarily incapacitate the robber, Franck, played by the very ominously excellent Vincent Cassel. It appears, when Franck recovers, that Simon's move to save the day was misplaced and his life is spared by, perhaps, only Franck's desire to not have blood on his hands. Franck knocks Simon out which later, in the hospital recovering, Simon is celebrated as a "would-be" hero in spite of the great loss. Oh yeah, when Franck opens the case the painting, "Witches In The Air", should be in the frame is empty.
So far, this is by the book as far as these things go, but that will change. Simon comes home to a "tossed" condo and is in trouble with the would-be robbers. He can save a lot of trouble by telling Franck where he hid the painting. One major obstacle here is Simon is suffering from amnesia. If he did hide the painting he has now hidden it from himself too. Some creative writing follows which at a few critical points may stretch the otherwise dark realism for some. If you're "on-board" however you choose to revel in the quite complicated story and see it through. It is a true different "twist" on this type of thing – while it may stumble somewhat it doesn't give itself up early-on at all and has an unexpected resolution which may, or may not, be satisfying to all. In the end it is worth watching, however, as taking the other fork in the road to a genre that is somewhat hackneyed keeps one invested. Trance is not as good as the best this director is capable of, though quite interesting, is obvious.
Trance seeks to weave a more simple and believable, greatly thought-out and orchestrated, heist gone wrong saga. Celebrated director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire among others) gives his vision the less glitzy (i.e. grittier) atmosphere on which to build believability. Casting James McAvoy as the protagonist is in keeping with that view as he is a versatile dramatic lead with believability and bank ability, not to mention he's quite a talent.
An esteemed auction house in the midst of the sale of a super rare and expensive painting provides the crime scene. But first we are introduced to McElvoy's character, Simon, who as part of the auction house's security is responsible for removal, if possible without risk to life, of whatever valuable object is being sold. As expected an orchestrated heist ensues. Simon does his job, with a slight glitch in which he uses a stun-gun to momentarily incapacitate the robber, Franck, played by the very ominously excellent Vincent Cassel. It appears, when Franck recovers, that Simon's move to save the day was misplaced and his life is spared by, perhaps, only Franck's desire to not have blood on his hands. Franck knocks Simon out which later, in the hospital recovering, Simon is celebrated as a "would-be" hero in spite of the great loss. Oh yeah, when Franck opens the case the painting, "Witches In The Air", should be in the frame is empty.
So far, this is by the book as far as these things go, but that will change. Simon comes home to a "tossed" condo and is in trouble with the would-be robbers. He can save a lot of trouble by telling Franck where he hid the painting. One major obstacle here is Simon is suffering from amnesia. If he did hide the painting he has now hidden it from himself too. Some creative writing follows which at a few critical points may stretch the otherwise dark realism for some. If you're "on-board" however you choose to revel in the quite complicated story and see it through. It is a true different "twist" on this type of thing – while it may stumble somewhat it doesn't give itself up early-on at all and has an unexpected resolution which may, or may not, be satisfying to all. In the end it is worth watching, however, as taking the other fork in the road to a genre that is somewhat hackneyed keeps one invested. Trance is not as good as the best this director is capable of, though quite interesting, is obvious.