"Passing" follows the unexpected reunion of two high school friends, whose renewed acquaintance ignites a mutual obsession that threatens both of their carefully constructed realities."Passing" follows the unexpected reunion of two high school friends, whose renewed acquaintance ignites a mutual obsession that threatens both of their carefully constructed realities."Passing" follows the unexpected reunion of two high school friends, whose renewed acquaintance ignites a mutual obsession that threatens both of their carefully constructed realities.
- Nominated for 4 BAFTA Awards
- 36 wins & 126 nominations total
Amos J. Machanic
- Ralph Hazelton
- (as Amos Machanic)
Amber Barbee Pickens
- Dancer
- (as Amber Pickens)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIn casting the two main characters, Rebecca Hall said she had to find two actors that could play either role, because both of them are so seduced by and interested in each other's lives. Ruth Negga agreed, suggesting that if they were doing it as a stage play, the actors could trade roles every other night. Tessa Thompson, however, demurred: "I would never want to play Clare. I love Ruth in this part so much, I wouldn't have done it."
- GoofsThe toy cars in the early stage of the movie were not possible to be made in the '20s as the toy cars from that era could not be produced at contemporary precision. Such precision was not possible until the '90s. Toy cars from the '30s usually had blunt axles without transparent windows nor interior.
- ConnectionsFeatured in CBS News Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley: 10-24-2021 (2021)
- SoundtracksThe Homeless Wanderer
Written and Performed by Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou
Courtesy of The Emahoy Tsege Mariam Music Foundation
Featured review
Admirable First Effort
"Passing" is an admirable freshman directorial effort from actress Rebecca Hall, but the film feels too tightly controlled to ever fully come alive.
Ruth Negga (looking a bit like Joan Blondell) and especially Tessa Thompson give strong performances as two old friends and maybe more who run into each other again in New York City after years apart. Negga's character is passing for white and has married a vile biggot. Thomspson's character is in a sexless marriage with a doctor and is living a well to do life in Harlem. The act of passing in a racial context is the catalyst for the movie's plot, but the film explores the ways in which all of us are passing for something. It asks the question: Can those we love ever truly know us, and further, can we ever truly know ourselves?
A large number of Americans right now seem to be having trouble dealing with reality as it actually exists, so I thought a movie about people creating their own realities in an effort to make their lives better, or at least more comfortable, would feel more immediate and tuned in to the times. But Hall keeps such tight control of the reins that the film can't breathe. It's like she wanted so much to avoid any missteps with this sensitive issue that she inadvertently sucked the life out of it.
Still, the movie does have some things to recommend it. I've mentioned the performances, but it also looks gorgeous, filmed in pristine black and white by Eduard Grau. I'm excited to see what Hall does next, because she has a terrific eye. She just needs to relax.
Grade: B.
Ruth Negga (looking a bit like Joan Blondell) and especially Tessa Thompson give strong performances as two old friends and maybe more who run into each other again in New York City after years apart. Negga's character is passing for white and has married a vile biggot. Thomspson's character is in a sexless marriage with a doctor and is living a well to do life in Harlem. The act of passing in a racial context is the catalyst for the movie's plot, but the film explores the ways in which all of us are passing for something. It asks the question: Can those we love ever truly know us, and further, can we ever truly know ourselves?
A large number of Americans right now seem to be having trouble dealing with reality as it actually exists, so I thought a movie about people creating their own realities in an effort to make their lives better, or at least more comfortable, would feel more immediate and tuned in to the times. But Hall keeps such tight control of the reins that the film can't breathe. It's like she wanted so much to avoid any missteps with this sensitive issue that she inadvertently sucked the life out of it.
Still, the movie does have some things to recommend it. I've mentioned the performances, but it also looks gorgeous, filmed in pristine black and white by Eduard Grau. I'm excited to see what Hall does next, because she has a terrific eye. She just needs to relax.
Grade: B.
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- evanston_dad
- Nov 21, 2021
- How long is Passing?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Giữa Hai Màu Da
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 38 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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