Trance

A thieving art auctioneer seeks the help of an alluring hypnotherapist in order to repair his damaged memory and recover the treasured Goya painting that he stashed following a brazen heist in this kinetic thriller reteaming Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle with Trainspotting and Shallow Grave screenwriter John Hodge. Adapted from the 2001 made-for-television feature by writer/director Joe Ahearne (who collaborated with Hodge on the screenplay), Trance finds prominent art auctioneer Simon (James McAvoy) dealing with brain damage after he teams with crime boss Franck (Vincent Cassel) to steal a Goya from an auction, then tries unsuccessfully to double-cross his fierce accomplice. In response, Franck knocks Simon unconscious with a vicious blow to the skull, wiping out any memory concerning the whereabouts of the prized painting. When Simon claims to have no recollection of where he hid the stolen masterpiece, Franck and his crew grudgingly agree to let talented hypnotherapist Elizabeth (Rosario Dawson) try and pinpoint its location. Now, the deeper Elizabeth probes into Simon's subconscious, the more complex the mystery seems to grow.