Passing (2021) ***1/2

 

Two women grow up in Harlem, both light-skinned enough that, in the right context, they could pass as white. One, Irene (Tessa Thompson), stays, marries a black doctor, and makes an upper-middle-class life for herself in Harlem. The other, Claire (Ruth Negga), is adopted by her white aunts as a teen. Finishing her formative years in white society, she simply continues to live as a white woman, marrying a racist, white banker, and living with a constant risk of being discovered. When these two old friends cross paths again as adults, their lives intertwine in ways that may bring drastic changes for both of them.

“Passing” is not simply about race. It is about the price of selling your soul for worldly gains, about trading one set of chains for another. The movie is based on Nella Larsen's 1929 novel, “Passing,” which came out in the same decade as “The Great Gatsby,” and a comparison is fair. Both explore the ugly side of American individualism and the costs of fleeing one's past, clawing one's way to the top.

Unfortunately, this film does not quite do justice to the tale. Actress Rebecca Hall adapted the novel into a screenplay and directed the film. Hall has a personal interest in the theme, as she is part black herself, and her grandfather passed as white. This is Hall's first effort as a writer and director, and while it is a good first effort, I wonder if the film would have benefited from some more experience. The story may also have been better served as a mini-series rather than a 1h 38m movie. I actually feel I should give Hall some credit here. In a time when so many movies run over 2 hours, she showed some restraint in making “Passing” so short. The problem with this restrained approach is that so many key plot points are merely implied, so if you blink, you'll miss them. And you may blink, because this is not a fast-paced action thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It's a subtle story about human relationships and race that, quite honestly, had me yawning a bit. Thus, I was a little confused by the ending, and while I did enjoy it while watching, I found myself days later with details of the movie slipping away.

That's a shame, because it's a great story. I probably need to either watch it again, or just read the book. By rights, this story should be a relic of our history, but the sad truth is that the themes are still relevant. In 2021, there are still many occasions – shopping for a vacation rental, creating an online dating profile, getting pulled over by the cops, etc. - where a black person may wish they could pass as white. Even if the film isn't perfect, kudos to Rebecca Hall for telling this story. We need it now just as much as they did in 1929, and we need to keep telling it until we reach a day where no one needs to try to pass.

3.5 stars out of 5