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Trance

Play trailer Poster for Trance R 2013 1h 41m Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
68% Tomatometer 183 Reviews 62% Popcornmeter 25,000+ 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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Trance

Trance

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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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Critics Reviews

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Deborah Ross The Spectator 09/04/2018
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. Go to Full Review Ryan Gilbey New Statesman 10/03/2017
In the end, it's the unnecessary tricksiness of the film that halts its flow. A crucial human component is missing. Go to Full Review Jason Bailey Flavorwire 06/21/2016
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. Go to Full Review JD Duran InSession Film 08/20/2024
B-
I feel like the story took way too much time to get to what was really a set of circumstances that were manipulated... Go to Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 09/12/2022
3.5/4
Inside a twisting scenario about an art-heist-gone-wrong is Boyle’s more fascinating trip inside unconscious minds and damaged psyches. Go to Full Review Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com 09/26/2020
2.5/4.0
One of my least favorite of Boyle's films. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Stephen D @sjhdearden Jun 28 The convoluted plot will lose many viewers and suggests 'style over substance'. A long slow watch. See more Faiz D @RT95588871 05/13/2025 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. See more thiago s @Thiagostone 04/15/2025 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. See more Colin M @RT35044827 02/12/2025 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. See more Lúcio Leonardo P @Lucio 01/28/2024 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... See more Andy B @AndyB21 04/12/2023 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. See more Read all reviews
Trance

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Cast & Crew

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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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Trance

Trance (2013) James McAvoy as Simon in "Trance." James McAvoy as Simon in "Trance." A scene from "Trance." Rosario Dawson as Elizabeth in "Trance." (L-R) Vincent Cassel as Franck and James McAvoy as Simon in "Trance." Vincent Cassel as Franck in "Trance." Rosario Dawson as Elizabeth and James McAvoy as Simon in "Trance." Rosario Dawson as Elizabeth in "Trance." View more photos

Movie Info

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