People who know me even slightly will be unsurprised to find out that I was happy to prioritise this film in my viewing schedule. Because I am happy to make time for anything starring the absolutely never-less-than-stellar Adèle Exarchopoulos. Put her in a main role alongside Franz Rogowski and Ben Whishaw and there is no holding me back.
Rogowski plays Tomas, a man in a turbulent period of a relationship with Martin (Whishaw). That turbulence is caused by his own behaviour, with narcissism and insecurity creating an unpleasant environment for the couple, and things become much more complicated when Tomas starts a relationship with Agathe (Exarchopoulos). Claiming to be in love with Agathe, and ready to commit, Tomas cannot stop trying to visit Martin, holding himself between a past he cannot let go of and a future he won’t fully grasp. And that isn’t good for anyone.
Directed by Ira Sachs, who also co-wrote the script with Mauricio Zacharias (and there’s an additional dialogue credit for Arlette Langmann), Passages is a thoughtful and brilliant look at some adults struggling to make relationships work while one adult tries to have his cake and eat it. It is in line with other films from Sachs, with everything shown in a realistic and natural way that keeps it aimed very much at adult viewers who will recognise the easy confusions of love, sex, personal freedom, and commitment to others.
Sachs is helped by his superb cast, although he is used to working with great performers who seem to deliver wonderful performances in response to his work. Exarchopoulos is arguably the most riveting actress working today, and portrays someone here who is optimistic, but also strong enough to take a stand when it is necessary. Whishaw does likewise, although his character is a bit more manipulated by a partner who is familiar with how to connect and reframe the conversation they are having. As for Rogowski, he is just brilliant in a role that requires him to clarify his neediness and selfish nature.
I am choosing not to say any more, for fear of any minor spoilers I think you should avoid, but I highly recommend this to you if you are a fan of any of the main players. It takes a few scenes to settle in to the main thrust of the plot, but things soon become riveting, and I know that many viewers will spend the second half of the movie hoping that Sachs can resolve things in a way that feels plausible and satisfying. And he absolutely does.
I can’t imagine wanting to rush to revisit this, but I really appreciated it while it was on. It’s akin to a bold and challenging stage play, and I wouldn’t be surprised if any incarnation of the screenplay had ever been developed with that in mind. Definitely worth your time.
8/10
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