Trance

Not since Inception has a single film managed to confuse the crap out of me until the very last frame. Now, Trance can claim that throne by throwing up one of the one most complicated storylines I have experienced in the cinema of late (except for Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 - that's still a mystery to me).

Trance tells the story of a young, troubled art auctioneer with a penchant for gambling who becomes involved with a £25million art theft that was planned to perfection until Simon suffers a knock on the head that misplaces his memory about where the valuable piece has been stashed. Slightly inconceivably, the crew involved with the heist decide to send Simon to a "random" hypnotherapist so that she might retrieve the memory that conceals the location of the painting. It's when Elizabeth, the hypnotherapist, involves herself within the gang's plans to sell the painting and split the profits that shit starts to get real. Before long, Elizabeth become more than just a Sherlock Holmes for Simon's thoughts. Soon, she sleeping with not one, but two of the cast involved in the discovery, Simon and Franck (the ringleader of the gang). The film continues with Elizabeth submitting both Simon and the gang to a number of exercises in order to release the memory from Simon's brain. It is not till towards the end however, that we discover the true story that is taking place with it being revealed that Elizabeth and Simon once knew eachother before Simon's accident. It is from here that the film takes a wrong turn down memory lane.

There are so many layers within this film to analyse. The biggest of which was the question, "if you could keep some memories over others, would you?" Boyle actualizes this concept through Simon's gambling addiction, arguably the catalyst for the whole film and the consequences that follow. By Simon involving himself in the gambling world, he takes a chance on his happiness everyday, the same gamble Elizabeth makes by deciding to erase Simon's memory - a decision she thinks will make her life better. The conclusion of the film sends out the message that there is a reason we should not mess with our memories for each one makes us who we are in the end and without them, we become empty vessels.

Production value on this film is impeccable and typically unique of Boyle's direction. Many of you will enjoy the pace and tone of this film which will keep you on the edge right to the very end and have you thinking beyond your exiting of the cinema.