Danny Boyle’s “Trance” (2013) is a ravishing movie that delves into the fascinating domain of hypnosis. The story centers on Simon, an auctioneer who doubles as a thief. Simon successfully steals the prized painting “Witches in The Air” by Goya Osuna from his own auction house. However, a twist of fate leaves him with amnesia after suffering a concussion. To unlock his lost memories, his partner hires a hypnotist, setting off a chain of suspenseful events.
In this gripping film, three powerful themes blend together to form a captivating story. First, the concept of hypnosis takes the spotlight. The film showcases the incredible power of suggestion, revealing both the astonishing abilities and the dark chasms of the human mind. Second, the story talks about the depths of human greed, showing the magnetism of desire and ambition. As characters, be it Simon or Franck, grow obsessed with locating the painting, their true desires are laid bare. This explains the lengths some will go to for wealth and influence.
Lastly, the film explores the toxic nature of possessive love in great detail. Through Elizabeth’s journey, using painting as a form of healing, the film portrays the devastating impact of a love story gone wrong. Through the stolen painting and her hypnotic technique, she finds a way to make Simon pay for the abuse he has been putting her through. The film also explores how Simon and Franck spiral deeper into the abyss of greed. There are subtle hints suggesting that Franck harbors feelings for Elizabeth and that these feelings are reciprocated. However, as the story unfolds, Simon meets his demise, and Elizabeth seizes the painting as well as her revenge against Simon for all the abuse he inflicted.
Trance (2013) Movie Synopsis and Plot Summary
Trance,” released in 2013, follows the story of an auctioneer named Simon, played by James McAvoy, who loses his memory after being involved in the theft of a valuable painting. To recover the missing artwork, Simon’s partner hires a therapist, Elizabeth, portrayed by Rosario Dawson, to delve into his mind and retrace his steps. The film features a stellar cast, including Vincent Cassel as Franck, the mastermind behind the heist. The movie opens with Simon explaining the intricate training involved in protecting the valuable paintings during a theft simulation. However, the scenario quickly shifts to reality as the auction for “Witches in The Air” by Goya Osuna begins, setting the stage for the thrilling events to follow.
Why Simon Proposes to Hire Elizabeth Lamb?
At the start of the film, the painting “Witches in The Air” by Goya Osuna fetches a staggering £27.5 million at auction. However, chaos ensues as a group of criminals disrupt the event with smoke bombs and destroy security footage. Following the drill, Simon, along with a security guard, moves the painting to safety but is ambushed by Franck, the leader of the thieves, who steals the artwork and incapacitates Simon.
While Simon is unconscious, Franck and his gang discover that the rucksack contains only its frame. As Simon recuperates in the hospital, Franck anxiously awaits his recovery, hoping to extract information about the painting’s whereabouts. Simon also becomes a national hero for his bravery during the robbery. Once discharged, Simon finds himself at the mercy of Franck and his gang, who resort to torturing him in their desperate search for the painting.
Unable to recall its whereabouts, Simon suggests using a hypnotist to jog his memory. He selects Elizabeth Lamb for the job. During their first hypnotic session, Elizabeth senses that Simon is being monitored by Franck. Realizing the gravity of the situation, she strikes a deal with Franck, understanding that there is more to the game than meets the eye.
In their first meeting, Elizabeth tasks Simon with unlocking the memory of the auction house theft. But instead of finding what they expected, Simon discovers only blood-stained tissues. In a heart-to-heart, Simon reveals that he owes a significant sum to Franck for settling his gambling debts. He also admits to being a gambling addict with mounting debts. Concerned for Simon’s safety, Elizabeth devises a plan to make the crew appear less threatening to him. She suggests triggering everyone’s fears but only manages to hypnotize Nate. Later, Franck visits Elizabeth, seeking assurance that Nate will remain under hypnosis. Elizabeth declines, spurring Franck to flirt with her before leaving.
Why Does Simon Accuse Elizabeth of Lying?
In their next session, Simon finds himself in an open-top car, accompanied by a mysterious woman. Elizabeth informs him they’re cruising through the French countryside. The woman leads Simon to a modest building adorned with numerous paintings. Inside, Simon finally unlocks the memory of the theft. As Simon replays the memory, he confesses to cutting the painting from its frame and recounts how Franck struck him on the head.
However, Elizabeth guides Simon to see what happened after he was knocked out. Simon reveals that upon leaving the auction house, he was struck by a car, nearly killing him. To everyone’s shock, he accuses Elizabeth of being behind the wheel but we see Elizabeth being switched with the woman at the beginning of the session. Feeling betrayed, Simon accuses Elizabeth of lying and manipulating his memories. When Elizabeth pleads with him to let her go, Simon unexpectedly cries out that he doesn’t want her to leave.
Is Franck Alive or Dead?
Elizabeth conducts an experiment on Simon, where she administers him a shock each time he recalls her face. Despite receiving shocks, Simon relives a beautiful memory with Elizabeth. When Franck questions about this, Elizabeth dismisses that Simon is just trying to fill his memory void with fabrications. Franck disagrees with Elizabeth’s technique, refusing to condone Simon’s torture. Following a heated argument, Franck and Elizabeth become intimate, which is seen by Nate, who later informs Simon. Elizabeth also stumbles upon a gun in Franck’s drawer, a stark reminder of his criminal nature.
A few days later, Simon breaks into Elizabeth’s house and confronts her about her affair with Franck. Their argument quickly turns intimate, and Simon claims to remember everything. He accompanies Franck to his hideout and reveals that he recalls everything. While there, he overhears Franck and his associates discussing their plan to kill him eventually.
Feeling betrayed, Simon decides to escape. He calls Elizabeth to inform her of the situation, and she tells him about Franck’s gun. Simon takes the gun and eliminates all of Franck’s men. However, when he confronts Franck, the latter presses that Elizabeth is manipulating him. Despite Franck’s warnings, Simon refuses to believe this and fatally shoots Franck. To his shock, it is revealed that Simon is actually in a trance, and Franck is still alive, communicating with him.
Trance (2013) Movie Ending Explained:
How Do Simon and Elizabeth know each other?
When Elizabeth leaves, Simon awakens from his trance. While getting dressed, he discovers Franck’s gun and is surprised when Franck suddenly appears and wrestles the gun from him. Franck also tries to convince Simon that Elizabeth is manipulating him, demonstrating that the gun is empty. Nate alerts Elizabeth to the situation. Elizabeth confesses that Simon had discovered the painting during his first visit to her, and it was in the red car that struck him. Franck coerces Simon into helping him retrieve the stolen painting. However, in the elevator, Simon attacks Franck and eliminates his men. Simon is devastated to learn that Elizabeth was aware of the painting’s location all along. As the film progresses, Simon, Elizabeth, and Franck set out to recover the car and the painting inside it.
On the way, Simon confronts Elizabeth, saying there’s a mysterious memory hidden in his mind. Elizabeth reveals that Simon had sought her help to overcome his gambling addiction, leading to a series of therapy sessions. Over time, their professional relationship turned into a passionate affair, marked by Simon’s growing possessiveness and jealousy. Their relationship took a dark turn when Simon became violent during an argument, leading Elizabeth to fear for her safety. Advised by the authorities to change her identity and move to a new city, Elizabeth chose to repress the memories of their time together instead.
However, during the theft, Franck’s actions somehow triggered the release of Simon’s repressed memories. On the night of the theft, Simon becomes convinced that he sees Elizabeth in a woman he encounters. This leads to a tragic confrontation where he strangles the innocent woman to death. Elizabeth, in an attempt to protect herself, gives Simon the painting and also shows him the girl’s body. Simon douses Franck’s car with gasoline and ignites it, but Elizabeth intervenes and drives both Simon and the burning car into the water.
Simon’s fate remains uncertain, while Franck survives. Later, Franck receives a video from Elizabeth, in which she expresses how the painting reminds her of him. She admits to manipulating Simon into stealing the painting for her. Elizabeth leaves the decision of whether Franck wants to remember these events up to him. In the final scene, Franck is seen struggling to make a choice about the same.
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