Passages

"Passages" is a film about a narcissistic bisexual German film maker, Tomas (Franz Rogowski) living and working in Paris and the two romantic relationships he ricochets between. At the start of the film, Tomas is living with Martin (Ben Whishaw) in a flat which they both own. I kept wondering where I had seen Ben Whishaw before - he played the new Q in the the recent Bond films. Anyway, Tomas meets Agathe (Adèle Exarchopoulos) and they end up having an affair. Then it turns into much more. But Tomas can't seem to let go of Martin. So why did I like this melodramatic film so much it ended up on my blog? Good question. To me it felt like a Cassavetes's film. If you told me that Cassavetes was alive and well and he made this movie, I would believe you. The pacing, the earnest dialogue, the look of the film all reminded me of John Cassavetes. I don't think there could be higher praise. Director and co-writer Ira Sachs has crafted a little indie film that felt like it was from the 70s. The exchange between Tomas and Agathe's parents alone was worth the price of admission. And Tomas riding his bike! This was pure cinema. I loved it and didn't expect to. Catch it now in rep cinemas or on streaming services when it becomes available.