A Reunion Between Two Friends Leads to Tension

Ruth Negga (left) and Tessa Thompson 
in "Passing"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

The opening scene of actress Rebecca Hall’s feature directorial debut, “Passing,” follows its lead character as she walks into a hotel dining room to seek shelter for the sweltering heat.  While there, she comes across an old friend.  However, something seems off about this friend.  The deeper, heartbreaking reasons behind what’s occurring is explored in this story about racial issues in 1920s New York City.

Irene Redfield (Tessa Thompson) is a light-skinned African-American living in Harlem with her husband, Brian (André Holland), and their two sons.  One day, Irene reunites with Clare Bellew (Ruth Negga), an acquaintance with whom Irene grew up.  Just like Irene, Clare is a light-skinned African-American, but she chooses to pass as white.  While the two friends reconnect, they will also have to face the difficulties that come with denying your true identity.

Thompson provides a deep performance of someone who’s troubled by what Clare’s doing, while also trying to shield her children not only from the notion of passing, but also from the news of racial violence that their father tries to discuss with them.  Thompson shows an individual who wants to maintain the peaceful life that their family has built for themselves, but we see a melancholy in how she carries herself, always displaying a soft sadness in her voice as she tries to make sense of the environment around her.

Negga gives a performance that’s just as poignant as Thompson’s.  Negga has us believe at first that her character is content with what she’s doing, but soon, we see that even she has some doubts about how she’s living her life.  Between the radiant personality that Clare displays in front of others, we see slight hints of apprehension as she realizes how far into this she has gotten herself, and the happiness that she expresses earlier begins to come apart little by little, with Negga showing the quiet, emotional turmoil of what her character’s experiencing.

The screenplay by Hall, which is based on the 1929 novel of the same name by Nella Larson, offers the audience the chance to sit in on several discussions that the characters have, whether it be Irene and Clare talking about passing or Irene and Brian talking about whether or not to guard their children from news about racial cruelty.  With the movie only being just over 90 minutes, there are times where you feel like the story would benefit from a slightly longer runtime to go even deeper into the themes that it explores.  However, what we’re given still offers enough insight into the narrative’s messages, which is helped my the committed performances.

As a director, it’s admirable to see Hall take on a sensitive topic such as this for her first feature.  With gorgeous black-and-white cinematography by Eduard Grau that fits in with the time period of the ‘20s, as well as a slow jazz score from Devonte Hynes that’s also befitting to the period, Hall provides a feeling for the time and place in which the story happens.  Besides unfolding the story through those technical standpoints, Hall is also able to create a feeling of strain as the characters try to understand each other, while also having disagreements over certain topics.

Through its heart-rending characters and poignant story, “Passing” creates a portrait of what it means to live an easier life if it results in giving up who you are.

Grade: A-