Passing is a 2021 American historical drama film written and directed by Rebecca Hall in her feature directorial debut. Adapted from the 1929 novel of the same name by Nella Larsen, set in 1920s New York City, the film follows the intertwined life of a black woman (Tessa Thompson) and her white-passing childhood friend (Ruth Negga). Appearing in supporting roles are André Holland, Bill Camp, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Antoinette Crowe-Legacy, and Alexander Skarsgård. It was filmed in black-and-white.
| Passing | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Promotional release poster | |
| Directed by | Rebecca Hall |
| Screenplay by | Rebecca Hall |
| Based on | Passing by Nella Larsen |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Eduard Grau |
| Edited by | Sabine Hoffman |
| Music by | Devonte Hynes |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Netflix |
Release dates |
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Running time | 98 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $10 million |
Passing had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, on January 30, 2021, and began a limited theatrical release on October 27, 2021, prior to streaming on Netflix on November 10.
The film received acclaim from critics, who praised Hall's screenplay and direction, and the performances of Thompson and Negga. The film was named one of the top ten films of 2021 by the African American Film Critics Association.[2] For her performance, Negga was nominated for the Golden Globe Award, the BAFTA and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Plot
editIn 1920s New York City, Irene Redfield, a light-skinned black woman living in Harlem, meets a childhood friend, Clare Bellew, by chance at a hotel dining room. Irene is married to a Black doctor. She learns that Clare has been "passing" as white and has married a wealthy white man from Chicago.
Clare invites Irene to her hotel room, so they can talk more openly. Clare explains that after her father died, she was raised by her two white aunts. She married her husband, John, when she was very young. They are interrupted by John, who openly despises and degrades Black people, unaware of his wife's or Irene's racial background. Irene leaves the hotel, angry with Clare, and refuses to respond when Clare writes to her. However, after Clare unexpectedly shows up at Irene's home and apologizes for the encounter, they rekindle their friendship.
Clare wants to associate with Black people again and invites herself to a dance party that Irene is organizing. Most of the guests at the party find Clare charming, including Irene's husband, Brian. That evening, Irene reveals Clare's secret to her friend, novel writer Hugh Wentworth, who seems less impressed with Clare than the others.
As time passes, Clare becomes involved in all aspects of Irene's life, often joining Irene and Brian to their outings. At first, Irene seems happy to have Clare around, but soon she becomes disillusioned with her and starts to resent her presence. Brian, also dissatisfied, attempts to teach his and Irene's children about some of the harshness of racism in America, as Irene refuses to move anywhere else. Irene believes that the children are too young to learn about the worst events and she and Brian argue about it, further straining their marriage. Brian invites Clare to a tea party from which Irene has purposely excluded her.
When out shopping with her friend, Felise, who is obviously Black, Irene encounters John. She hurries away, as he begins to realize the truth about his wife's racial background. Irene tries to warn Clare but decides against it when she is unable to reach her by phone.
As Brian, Irene, and Clare are on their way to Felise's Christmas party on the top floor of a six-story building, Irene asks Clare what she would do if John ever learned the truth. Clare replies that she would move back to Harlem to be with Irene, who is troubled by this. During the party, Irene remains silent, avoiding the other guests. She opens a large vertical window to smoke.
Suddenly, John angrily forces himself into the apartment demanding to see Clare. She remains calm and moves next to Irene who is standing by the window. John accuses her of being a "dirty liar" and lunges towards her. Clare falls backward out of the window, but it is not clear whether John or Irene pushed her or if she deliberately jumped.
In horror, the other guests rush outside, not knowing whether Clare is dead. Irene slowly goes downstairs, where the police are questioning guests. Brian says that he believes John pushed Clare, but, when asked, Irene says that she believes the fall was an accident. The film ends with the police declaring death by misadventure, Irene sobbing in Brian's arms, and Clare's body being carried away by medics.
Cast
edit- Tessa Thompson as Irene "Reenie" Redfield
- Ruth Negga as Clare Bellew
- André Holland as Brian Redfield
- Bill Camp as Hugh Wentworth
- Alexander Skarsgård as John Bellew
- Gbenga Akinnagbe as Dave Freedland
- Antoinette Crowe-Legacy as Felise
- Ashley Ware Jenkins as Zu
Production
editIt was announced in August 2018 that Rebecca Hall would be making her directorial debut on the adaptation of the Nella Larsen novel, with Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga set to star in the lead roles.[3]
Hall had begun writing the screenplay a decade earlier, upon reflecting on her own family's history. Her American mother, an opera singer, was of mixed race and some of her relatives passed as white, while her father was a white British film and theatre director.
When Hall presented Negga with a screenplay, the actress decided to collaborate to get the film made. She was surprised that Larsen's novel was not better known, as she had been "completely astounded,” when reading it.[4] Thompson said that the film would be shot in black and white, to represent the texture of the period.[5]
André Holland was cast in October 2019.[6] In November 2019, Alexander Skarsgård joined the cast.[7]
With less than a month to go before filming and production set to begin, Hall was still $500,000 short on her desired $10 million budget. She applied for two grants, to cover the difference.[8] Filming began in November 2019, in New York City.[9]
The film is in black and white. Benjamin Lee of The Guardian praised the use of a 4:3 aspect ratio, as in this film, it was "both fitting and practical, given a smaller budget".[10] Into the third week of filming, the Hugh Wentworth role, originally intended for Benedict Cumberbatch, remained uncast. Budgetary realities and the tight filming timeline meant the production would need an actor who lived in New York. On November 21, Bill Camp signed on, and filming wrapped in December after a 23-day shoot.[8]
Release
editPassing had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on January 30, 2021.[11] Shortly after, Netflix acquired distribution rights to the film for around $15 million.[12] It also screened at the New York Film Festival on October 3, 2021.[13][14] The film had a limited theatrical release on October 27, 2021, prior to streaming on Netflix on November 10.[15]
According to Samba TV, the film was watched in 653,000 households over its first three days of release.[16]
Reception
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Critical reception
editOn the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 90% of 250 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.7/10. The website's consensus reads: "While Passing's delicate approach has a dampening effect on its story, debuting director Rebecca Hall makes the most of an impressive cast—and handles thorny themes with impressive dexterity."[17] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 85 out of 100, based on 46 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[18]
Kevin Maher of The Times gave the film 4 out of 5 stars, calling it, "a mesmerizing, deeply disquieting experience."[19] Jessica Kiang, writing for Variety, said that the film is "unerring, deceptively delicate, quiet and immaculate, like that final fall of snow."[20]
In his review for The Guardian, Peter Bradshaw praised Hall's direction, calling the film, "a very stylish piece of work from Hall."[21] Benjamin Lee of The Guardian, gave the film a negative review of 2 out of 5 stars, arguing that it had "disappointing lack of verve" and was "inert".[10]
The performances of Negga and Thompson, in particular, received praise. In a very positive review for the Chicago Tribune, Michael Phillips gave the film a perfect score of four out of four stars and wrote of their performances: "What Thompson and Negga accomplish on screen, in this extraordinarily detailed portrait, becomes a master class in incremental revelations."[22] David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter lauded Thompson for her "unshowy, beautifully internalized performance,” and Simran Hans called Negga "magnetic" in her review for The Guardian.[23][24] In Time Magazine's annual list, Stephanie Zacharek ranked Negga's performance among the ten best of 2021.[25]
Accolades
editReferences
edit- ^ "Passing". Sundance Film Festival. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
- ^ a b Hipes, Patrick (December 8, 2021). "African American Film Critics Top 10 Films Led By 'The Harder They Fall', 'Respect', 'King Richard'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
- ^ N'Duka, Amanda (August 6, 2018). "Rebecca Hall To Make Directorial Debut With 'Passing'; Tessa Thompson & Ruth Negga Star In Adaptation Of 1920s Novel". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
- ^ Yamato, Jen (February 1, 2021). "Why Ruth Negga and Tessa Thompson were willing to drop everything for 'Passing'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
- ^ Geschwind, Max (December 3, 2018). "Tessa Thompson on Working With First-Time Directors: "I'm Happy to Get Them as Early as Possible"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
- ^ N'Duka, Amanda (October 22, 2019). "'Moonlight' Actor André Holland Joins 'Passing' Adaptation From Rebecca Hall". Deadline. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (November 13, 2019). "Alexander Skarsgård, Endeavor Content, Film4 Join Rebecca Hall Directorial Debut 'Passing', Shoot Underway On Feminist Civil Rights Drama". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
- ^ a b Joseph Bien-Kahn (November 10, 2021). "How to Get a Black-Led Indie Film Funded in Hollywood". Vulture. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
- ^ Welch, Rebecca (October 30, 2019). "Another Newly Announced HBO Max Show Has Started Casting". Backstage. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
- ^ a b Lee, Benjamin (January 31, 2021). "Passing review – Rebecca Hall's elegant but inert directorial debut". The Guardian. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
- ^ Debruge, Peter (December 15, 2020). "Sundance Film Festival Lineup Features 38 First-Time Directors, Including Rebecca Hall and Robin Wright". Variety. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
- ^ Galuppo, Mia (February 3, 2021). "Sundance: Netflix Grabs 'Passing' Starring Tessa Thompson, Ruth Nega". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
- ^ "Passing". New York Film Festival. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
- ^ Lewis, Hilary (August 10, 2021). "NY Film Festival Unveils Main Slate, Sets Vaccination Requirement for 2021 Edition". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (August 23, 2021). "Netflix Dates Fall Movies: A Whopping 42 Movies Coming At You". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 15, 2021). "'Red Notice': Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot & Ryan Reynolds Netflix Movie KOs 'Shang-Chi' In Streaming Debut Per Samba TV". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
- ^ "Passing". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
- ^ "Passing". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
- ^ Maher, Kevin. "'Passing' review — lies and disguise in 1920s New York". The Times. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
- ^ Kiang, Jessica (January 31, 2021). "'Passing' Review: Rebecca Hall's Subtle, Provocative Directorial Debut". Variety. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
- ^ Bradshaw, Peter (October 28, 2021). "'Passing' review – Rebecca Hall's stylish and subtle study of racial identity". The Guardian. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
- ^ Phillips, Michael. "Review: Rebecca Hall's excellent 'Passing' tells a story of racial identity in 1920s New York". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
- ^ Rooney, David (2021). "'Passing': Film Review | Sundance 2021". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
- ^ Hans, Simran (October 30, 2021). "'Passing' review – life is anything but black and white in Rebecca Hall's smart period drama". The Guardian. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
- ^ Zacharek, Stephanie. "The 10 Best Movie Performances of 2021". Time. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
- ^ Tangcay, Jazz (December 10, 2021). "'The Power of the Dog, 'Passing' Lead Alliance of Women Film Journalists Award Nominations (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
- ^ Tangcay, Jazz (January 31, 2022). "Artios Awards: 'Belfast', 'CODA', 'King Richard', 'House of Gucci' Among 2022 Nominees". Variety. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
- ^ Neglia, Matt (January 4, 2022). "The 2021 Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) Nominations". Next Big Picture. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ "2022 EE British Academy Film Awards: The Winners". BAFTA. January 11, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- ^ ""Harder" Makes It Look Easy with 20 Black Reel Award Nominations" (Press release). Foundation for the Augmentation of African-Americans in Film. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
- ^ Tallerico, Brian. "'West Side Story' Leads the 2021 Chicago Critics Nominees". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
- ^ Tallerico, Brian. "Jane Campion's 'The Power of the Dog' Leads Chicago Critics Awards with Seven". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
- ^ Jorgenson, Todd. "DFW Film Critics Name "Power of the Dog" Best Film of 2021". Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
- ^ "DGA Announces Nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film for 2021" (Press release). Directors Guild of America. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ Neglia, Matt. "The 2021 Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
- ^ "2021 Awards". Georgia Film Critics Association. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
- ^ "Golden Globes 2022: Nominations for the 79th Golden Globes Have Been Announced". Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
- ^ Hipes, Patrick (January 9, 2022). "Golden Globes: 'The Power of the Dog', 'West Side Story', 'Succession' Lead Way – Complete Winners List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ^ Sharf, Zack (October 21, 2021). "Gotham Awards 2021 Nominations: 'Pig', 'Green Knight', 'Passing' Compete for Best Feature". IndieWire. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
- ^ "'Dune', 'Coda', and 'Belfast' Lead the 5th Annual HCA Film Awards Nominations" (Press release). Hollywood Creative Alliance. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
- ^ Long, Brent; Tangcay, Jazz (December 14, 2021). "Indie Spirit Awards 2022: Full List of Nominations". Variety. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
- ^ Blauvelt, Christian (December 13, 2021). "2021 Critics Poll: The Best Films and Performances, According to 187 Critics from Around the World". IndieWire. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
- ^ "'Benediction', 'Onoda' and 'The Power of the Dog' Lead ICS Nominations". International Cinephile Society. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
- ^ Yossman, K.J. (December 16, 2021). "Female Filmmakers Shine at London Critics' Circle Film Awards with Nominations for Jane Campion, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Joanna Hogg". Variety. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
- ^ Pond, Steve. "'Drive My Car' Wins Best Picture Award from National Society of Film Critics". TheWrap. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
- ^ Neglia, Matt. "The 2021 New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
- ^ "2021 Awards (25th Annual)". Online Film Critics Society. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
- ^ Murray, Rebecca. "San Diego Film Critics Society 2021 Nominees: 'Belfast' Tops the List with 12 Nominations". ShowbizJunkies. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
- ^ "SFBAFCC 2021 AWARDS". San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
- ^ Anderson, Erik (December 1, 2021). "'Belfast', 'The Power of the Dog' lead 26th Satellite Awards nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ Lattanzio, Ryan. "SAG Awards 2022 Nominations: See the Full List". IndieWire. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
- ^ ""The Power of the Dog" Leads the 2021 Seattle Film Critics Society Nominations". Seattle Film Critics Society. January 10, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ^ Neglia, Matt. "The 2021 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
- ^ Neglia, Matt (January 16, 2022). "The 2021 Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) Winners". Next Big Picture. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
- ^ Feinberg, Scott. "USC Scripter Awards: 'Passing' Among Film Nominees; 'Station Eleven' a TV Finalist". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
- ^ Eric, Anderson (December 4, 2021). "Washington DC Critics: 'Belfast', 'The Power of the Dog' lead nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
