A James McAvoy east London based double bill.
The city is the star - beautifully lit and rendered in each - but
there's a clear winner in content.
For all it's ambition - and star quality - Welcome
to the Punch is po-faced run of the mill cops and robbers which, with its
maverick officer, dubious managers and cursory female characterisation is very
similar in plot to The Sweeney. Except nowhere near us much fun. No "get
your trousers on you're nicked", Plan B in his pants or car chase through
an Essex caravan site here - the Tarintinoesque grandma stand-off being the
only snatch of invention.
Trance is a more nuanced, stylish and interesting
movie. Undoubtedly flawed and with extraordinary jolts of violence and nudity,
it riffs on some classic Danny Boyle tropes and asks some interesting questions
about memory and manipulation.
Three people, who it's hard to care about but
nevertheless hold our attention, bluff and tussle amongst themselves with a
spectacularly non-sensical Goya McGuffin just about holding the pieces
together.
The leads give it all - Rosario Dawson's is a
particularly brave performance. And Boyle does attempt to flesh out some
characterisation of the rest of the heist gang rather then the expendable goons
we normally get.
It's clever, contrived and ultimately farcical but a
grand ride all the same.
Welcome To The Punch 4/10
Trance 7/10
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