288. Passages; movie review

 

PASSAGES

Cert 18

92 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong sex

Three top-class actors in an unusual love triangle is the foundation for a potentially intoxicating movie.

It is a shame, therefore, that the characters in Ira Sachs' movie are so feckless and, consequently, unappealing.

This is especially true of Tomas (Franz Rogowski), a film director who lives with his meek husband, Martin (Ben Whishaw).

At a party to celebrate the completion of his movie, he has sex with an attractive young woman, Agathe (Adèle Exarchopoulos).

For the remainder of the movie, he flits from one to the other, unable to decide which is more deserving of his love or, more pertinently, lust.

Sachs has developed an interesting idea, and Tomas is constantly led by his desire for sex rather than genuine love for either of his bedmates.

Bizarrely, he seems genuinely bemused when neither is keen to share.

Things become even more complex when Martin diverts his attention to another man because Tomas is with Agathe.

He also has to deal with the unlikely scenario of meeting his new girlfriend's wary parents.

Passages is unashamedly erotic - there are many sex scenes with a rare movie concentration on male bodies, especially bottoms.

And they will be our long-term memory of a film that didn't really resonate with us because we have never met anyone quite like Tomas or, frankly, as irritating.

Reasons to watch: Tense love triangle

Reasons to avoid: Unlikeable characters

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: Yes

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? Ira Sachs began writing this film for Franz Rogowski after seeing him in Michael Haneke's Happy End.

The final word. Ira Sachs: "I don’t see history as going in a consistently better direction, but around this particular question of sexual possibility and experience I feel that the film is testament to positive change." Roger Ebert

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