2023 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!
Rey (Fedra Ramirez Olivares) is burnt out. She’s trying her best to stay afloat, but her job as a chef and her relationship with Elle (Kaileela Hobby) are draining her, making it incredibly difficult for her to keep her head up and move forward. In Passing is this couple’s journey through the mundane, the typical–and while things don’t seem to be looking up, they have to remember that they have each other.
In Passing is all about the fragility of man. The film immediately dives in, throwing viewers right into the midst of this couple’s struggles–showing us a disheveled and disgruntled Rey as she sits outside of the restaurant at which she works. Viewers have no choice but to immediately feel what these characters feel, and to understand that their lives, much like ours, can be (and are) troublesome. In the opening moments of the film darkness fills the screen, and Writer-Director Hillia Aho does everything that she can to ensure that viewers fully understand the film and its purpose. The entire film is filled with emotion, passion, and pain–but this is the quintessential moment of the production, peaking here, refusing to give viewers a chance to get situated.
Trial by fire is the battle cry of In Passing–and after we settle in Aho takes us on a journey that feels so familiar, and it’s brilliantly level headed as a result. Again, the film is about the fragility of man, but it also tells viewers about the reality that we all often exist in a similar space–one that sees us struggle. It attempts to level the playing field for all and allow individuals from various walks of life to appreciate the rest of the population. We understand that some of the decisions we make aren’t perfect, and some decisions that are made for us are simply out of our control–but essential nonetheless. In Passing is simply real–accessible to all.
The use of sound is everything to In Passing. From the opening moments of the film viewers could close their eyes and still almost understand everything as it played out. As the film prepares to end, however, as everything has come to a head, silence befalls it. While sound played such a prominent role in how viewers receive In Passing, and while it was, for all intents and purposes, the most important part of the entire film–that silence is what will catch viewers attention in the closing seconds. That massive juxtaposition, that incredible change that happens in an instant reels viewers in one more time–effectively strengthening the narrative, the emotion, and everything in between.
In Passing is an emotional roller coaster from the start–and Aho uses sound from the film’s opening to ensure that viewers are immersed in a world of truth. Aho creates something so simple, yet so artistically supreme–and she finds ways to juxtapose sounds, tones, and just about everything else as she brings this story of the familiar to life. In Passing flies by, quickly expressing the story of Elle and Rey, and their journey is one that will resonate with all.
Written & Directed by Hillia Aho.
Starring Fedra Ramirez Olivares, Kaileela Hobby, & Andrew Ingalls.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
