Vince Lozano (Pirates of the Caribbean) is featured alongside the late Tom Sizemore in the highly anticipated Trauma Therapy sequel, Trauma Therapy: Pyschosis.
Directed by Lawrie Brewster, and written by Tom Malloy and David Josh Lawrence, the film – a sequel to Trauma Therapy (2019) – sees Malloy return as Tobin Vance, a notorious self-help guru who has been exiled overseas. As the feds move in on his US operation, Vance is building a new base in the remote outskirts of Kirkcaldy, Scotland. There, his stoic assistant Elizabeth (Hannah New), along with former student John (David Josh Lawrence), recruit a hopeful new group of lost souls for an intensive retreat to solve their deep-seated problems.
The film also features Jamie Scott Gordon, Gordon Holliday, and Megan Tremethick. Sizemore, in his final film, appears as himself, the host of a Larry King-like TV talk show.
Says Malloy and Lawrence, “The first Trauma Therapy, released in 2019, was a really fun exploration into the power that a self-help guru can have, and how, if he or she used that power in devious ways, the results could be extreme. We were inspired by the likes of Tony Robbins and how he would make his weekend retreat participants walk on coals. For the sequel, we had two goals: 1) it would be a standalone film so people could just jump right in, and 2) we wanted to amp up the danger and the suspense. The people involved in Trauma Therapy: Psychosis would face EXTREME challenges meant to break them… and all who failed would meet a devious end. Written at a retreat in Lake Placid, NY, the surrounding area gave the idea of isolation and hopelessness. Trauma Therapy: Psychosis takes the intensity and suspense up to 11!”.
Check out our interview with Vince:
So I just found out that Trauma Therapy: Psychosis is a sequel. How did you come to be a part of both of these films?
Vince: In the original one, the first Trauma Therapy. I didn’t write it, but I was part of the idea of coming up with the story. I’m good friends with Tom Malloy who plays the lead Tobin Vance and David, Joshua Lawrence, who was also in both films, so when they came up with the idea in the first one, we were all working together. And when they wrote the script, they had me as Victor in mind to play, but I still hadn’t gotten the role, like I still had to go meet with the director. We had a conversation, we sat down and went over the role, what did he think and what did I see as part of the character and all that and he liked what I said and like my views and ended up becoming a part of it that way. As far as part two goes, I wasn’t in the original cut, the first cut that they had, and that’s when they rewrote it. They rewrote a couple scenes in the movie, and they added me into it with Tom Sizemore, which I thought was brilliant. And created a podcast and then I ended up becoming a part of Trauma Therapy: Psychosis, which was pretty fun and exciting to be a part of. This one was shot in Scotland. And it’s a little more intense than the first one I would say.
So for people like me who are being introduced to these movies through the sequel, can you explain a little bit more about who your character was in the first film?
Vince: Yeah, in the first one. I’m Victor and I’m basically Vance’s right hand man. I’m kind of pulling the strings behind the scenes, manipulating the, how would I call them, the members of this group that comes to Tobin Vance to get him to inspire them. I’m kind of like a good guy/bad guy, but I’m really slash evil and bad at the same time. So they think I’m trustworthy, but really I’m not and I’m just pushing their buttons and they don’t realize what’s going on. I would say that’s the gist of my character.
And the funny part about it was, I was in prison because I was the ex gangbanger and that’s how I found Tobin Vance. Tobin Vance is like a poor man’s version of Anthony Robbins, he wrote this book, I read it, I got inspired and I reached out to him. I go, hey, I gotta join this organization, I gotta join this group because, you know, I want to get further in life. And so I was the guy that would be the spokesperson.
So the sequel is more intense than the first one. Can you explain that a little bit further?
Vince: Yeah, I would say it’s more intense, darker, faster. It is shot so differently from the first one because we have a completely different crew, DP, and director. And we really push the envelope in this one with the craziness, with the violence, with the manipulation, the psychosis, that mind fuck that happens with the characters who come into this trying to improve their lives. They get twisted around. They get twisted around and the opposite kind of happens. You know, in order to change, you really have to go to the extreme of finding that darkness inside of you. So when you speak you can go that dark, we push you to go even darker and that’s what makes this one so cool.
And this is unfortunately the final project for Tom Sizemore. What was it like working with him?
Vince: It was so cool because I have been a fan of Tom Sizemore throughout all the work that he’s done, you know, from Heat to Saving Private Ryan, they’re some of my favorite films. To get to work with him and watch him work, then to watch him improvise and push my buttons and to improvise with him and push his buttons, it was just this great mental acting challenge or battle that was very organic. The great thing was that we had the freedom to go off the page, meaning go off the script and there were a couple of times where we got really intense. He was so good at being the host of a podcast that it was just so fun to watch him be at ease and free that it brought me to that level. So it was a lot of fun. It’s one of those times where you don’t know what’s going to happen and you just go with the flow and that’s what acting should be. I mean, I don’t want to give a lesson but sometimes we have preconceived ideas of how the scene is gonna go, but I didn’t, I had no clue how I was gonna go. I knew what was written and the director was like, ‘be free to do whatever.’ And Tom Sizemore had no problem with it, so we went for it and it was a blast.
That’s awesome. Yeah, your banter against each other felt very natural. It felt like you two were podcast partners for quite some time.
Vince: Yeah, that’s what’s so great because we had only just met and to create that relationship so organically, you know, that takes trust. Him being such an experienced actor and so am I, but, you know, he’s a big star but he had no ego. And that was what was so great about it that he was just willing to go for it. And afterwards, we gave each other a big hug and high fived, man that was a lot of fun.
Now with the sequel, what are you most excited for people to see?
Vince: I’m excited for them to see the look of the film. It has a very, very stylized look that the first one didn’t have. The first one, don’t get me wrong, it’s shot great too,but this one is more stylized and it almost has like a 70s feel to it or look to it. You know what I mean by that? Yeah, that’s what I’m most excited for then to see. That and you know, to see Tom Sizemore, see myself, see some of the intense acting that’s throughout this film, and see some solid performances. I think audiences are going to be surprised. This is one of those indie films that can become like a cult hit, you know, especially that it has Tom Sizemore in it. And also just the mindfuck of the film, too. It’s pretty cool.
And kind of going along with that, do you think there’s a potential for a third one?
Vince: Really good question. I think there is a possibility for a third one because Tobin Vance is still around, I’m around and who knows, maybe they’ll make another one. I’m in charge of Vance Institute. That’d be fun. I’d take over.
And with this being surrounded by therapy and self help, is there anything that you hope the audience takes away from these movies?
Vince: Oh, wow. I didn’t even think about that. I think if you are in need or if you’re feeling depressed, down, sad or whatever it is, you know, find hope. I think that’s important. Call a friend, call someone or call a hotline, whatever it takes. It may not be as bad as you think it is, what’s going on in your life and maybe hearing another voice will help you figure it out. I remember reading a story about a man that was walking to a bridge to take his life and this lady saw him walking and with a big smile, all she said was, ‘Good morning. How are you?’ He looked at her and said, ‘I’m okay,’ and he kept walking. He stopped at the bridge and you know what? That lady gave him hope. It was the simplest little thing of saying, ‘how are you,’ that he turned around and he didn’t take his life. So sometimes, you know, reaching out or even us as human beings, you know, instead of looking at our phone and texting or whatever, just reaching out to someone, a complete stranger, and just say, ‘hey, how are you,’ or hold the door open, or whatever. Even if it is a small gesture. You just never know. It could go a long way because we don’t know what’s going on with other people.
Yeah, sometimes the smallest thing makes the biggest impact.
Vince: Exactly, exactly.
Well, I think that is an awesome note to leave off on, but is there anything else that you want to add about Trauma Therapy: Psychosis before I let you go?
Vince: Please go see it, guys. Help us. Help indie films. Right now we’re battling the big guys up there with the big studios and here’s a chance to help a little film be successful and let the studios know that we don’t want crazy big films with superheroes all the time. We want simple little dramas with character driven stories. So go out there, see us support us. And that’s it.
