Movie Breakdown: Trance

People are doing traditional-style reviews all over the web, so we decided to try something different.  In each “breakdown” we’ll take a look at what a film’s marketing lead us to believe, how the movie actually played, and then what we learned from it all.  Read on!

The Impression:

Danny Boyle is back on the big screen after taking a break to direct last year’s Olympics.  He brings with him James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson, and Vincent Cassel in what appears to be a stylish psychological thriller.

The Reality:

Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, the Olympics – these are all serious endeavors, so it doesn’t even remotely surprise me that Trance feels like Danny Boyle just having a good time.  Right from the beginning of the film he essentially begins a test to see how clever you are, to see if you can avoid getting lost in the maze that he’s rapidly guiding you through.  It all makes the film into a rather entertaining and interactive experience, and I really can’t wait to see it again.

Side note, I forgot how good James McAvoy can be.

The Lesson:

Danny Boyle is a treasure.