Synopsis
In 1920s New York City, a Black woman finds her world upended when her life becomes intertwined with a former childhood friend who's passing as white.
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Cast
- Tessa ThompsonIrene Redfield
- Ruth NeggaClare Kendry
- André HollandBrian Redfield
- Alexander SkarsgårdJohn Bellew
- Bill CampHugh Wentworth
- Gbenga AkinnagbeDave
- Antoinette Crowe-LegacyFelise
- Justus Davis GrahamTed
- Ethan BarrettJunior
- Ashley Ware JenkinsZulena
Recommendations
- 100
The Telegraph
Alive to pulse-quickening details of body language and the conversational codes by which a dangerous friendship lives or dies, the film is a study in contrasts far beyond the monochromatic. - 91
IndieWire
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. - 90
The Hollywood Reporter
Whether this is a one-time passion project or the beginnings of an ongoing move from acting into directing in her career focus, Hall has crafted a work that's thoughtful, provocative and emotionally resonant. - 90
Screen Daily
The muted elegance of Passing’s design proves to be a deft feint for a film full of passion and profound longing, highlighted by two controlled but devastating performances. - 90
TheWrap
For all the technique that she demonstrates in Passing, it’s the way Hall mines praiseworthy turns from her cast that will earn her the most acclaim. Mannered in varying degrees, the actresses’ performances strike a delicate balance of emotional nuance and period-specific affectations. - 83
The Film Stage
By turns stifling and lucid with seduction, Hall’s debut is impressive, even when its atmosphere sometimes overtakes its pace. - 80
Slashfilm
The dreamy images and the simmering passions of the film lingered with me. - 75
Entertainment Weekly
It feels like an actor's film: a delicate, melancholy study in black and white, nearly every scene filled with careful silences and subtext.
