Passing

It might have taken one actress to make a movie so reliant on others. It certainly took a director with a supreme confidence, not just in the talents of her performers but in the power of gesture.

Hall made many good choices for her debut — her entire crafts department turned in rich period production elements — but the casting of her leads might be the best of the bunch.

Hall has crafted a masterpiece of nostalgic filmmaking.

By turns stifling and lucid with seduction, Hall’s debut is impressive, even when its atmosphere sometimes overtakes its pace.

There is such sensitivity and intelligence in the performances from Thompson and Negga and the cinematography from Eduard Grau and production design by Nora Mendis are both ravishing. It’s a very stylish piece of work from Hall.

With an incredible ensemble and an elegant eye, Hall’s Passing is a high-wire act of a debut that tackles its several thorny issues with nary a scratch.

As compelling and as complicated as this fraught friendship might be, Hall’s script can’t quite find a way to take it – and the other pieces of Larsen’s novel – and turn them into something deservedly substantial.

Hands-down best book-to-film adaptation ever. Hyperboles aside - I read the book two years ago, and I was excited but tepid when I heard it was being adapted into a film. Overall, the film gave me chills. Negga and Thompson floored me with their performances. I loved every second of it. I loved Hall's choice to film it in black and white with a 4:3 aspect ratio. Truly marvelous filmmaking and storytelling.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

I think one of the most interesting parts of this film is how Irene is constantly avoiding direct eye contact, in a sort of fear of those in public seeing her true skin color. As Hugh says, she could pass if she wants to. And she replies, maybe I do. Other than the obviously beautiful black and white cinematography, which is absolutely necessary for a story of this nature, the sound is incredible. Every sound is intentional and can sometimes be deafening.I mention how the black and white cinematography is necessary because that’s how people are viewing the world in that time. Are people black, or white? And it lends a hand with the lighting to alter the complexion of the actors. And not just the cinematography but the performances (Tessa, Ruth, Andre, Alexander) are incredible. All of the technical aspects really. Cinematography, sound design, the score, production design, costuming, etc. It all comes together and shines through the screen! And another thing is how much Irene likes to ignore the terrible things that happen in the world. With the collapsing of a man on the sidewalks of New York, the only thing she wants to do is get far far away. And later the talk of the lynching of the man from Little Rock. Because she can pass, it’s a bit easy for her character to ignore tragedy and issues of race. But for her darker skinned family, it is everything to them. As Andre Holland’s character says, they (white folks) hate us (black folks). I’m unfamiliar with the source material, and as a white man, I can not relate. But the actors, the scripting, the directing, all lend a hand to make you feel what they do. I liked this quite a bit. Make your way to see this!

bad [ bad ] adjective, worse, worst;(Slang) bad·der, bad·dest for 36. not good in any manner or degree.

Beautifully put together, abysmal in its understanding of human nature. Also, how the hell can two Black women pass as “white” to a KKK-level-racist white dude, one of those he's married to? There is no claim to realism here, but even the fantasy does not have two legs to stand on. If DiAngelo and Kendi got together to make a movie.