Remember the names of these three women: Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga, and Rebecca Hall – you’ll be hearing them mentioned often during the end-of-year awards season for the haunting, beautiful film Passing
Ruth Negga and Tessa Thompson appear in “Passing” by Rebecca Hall, an official selection of the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Edu Grau. All photos are copyrighted and may be used by press only for the purpose of news or editorial coverage of Sundance Institute programs. Photos must be accompanied by a credit to the photographer and/or ‘Courtesy of Sundance Institute.’ Unauthorized use, alteration, reproduction or sale of logos and/or photos is strictly prohibited. 
The title refers to black women “passing” as white women at a time in America where doing so could have attractive results, but at what psychological price? This intimate film agilely examines its subject matter, fraught with potential peril. But as adapted and directed by Rebecca Hall, the subject matter is made personal, specific, and emotional.
As the film opens, Irene ( Tessa Thompson) is shopping at a Manhattan store, a wide brim on her hat, obscures her face just enough, her speech just so, and the cashier obviously doesn’t think she’s black. She has passed.
Later she goes to a fancy tea room in a hotel to cool off and that’s where she is recognized by a childhood friend, Clare (Ruth Negga). With her light complexion and 20s flapper hairstyle, blond and straight, Clare is not just passing- she’s actually married to a virulently racist white man who hasn’t a clue that his wife is black.
Clare desperately wants to reignite their adolescent friendship, there’s even an undercurrent of sexual tension at times, but Irene is reluctant. She is married to a black man, a doctor, and their life in Harlem is good. She says she has everything she wants in life. Clare wants to dip her toe back into her heritage, but Irene fears the secret will be revealed. It also seems to me, that Irene fears that Clare is making the moves on her husband (an excellent André Holland).
Passing explores the changing dynamics of these two. It is really more about two specific people than it is in the phenomenon in broad way. Thompson’s subtle performance draws you into the screen. Her character communicates without words much of the time, which makes the elegant performance that much more admirable.
Negga’s Clare is more gregarious, her emotions more visible- it is a devastating character study that leaves a mark on the viewer.
And Rebecca Hall? If you don’t know her name, you might still recognize her from many onscreen performances as an actor – here, she adapted a 100 year old book and directed this jewel. I didn’t know this until now, but Hall’s mother was of mixed race (her father was white), and so any talk of a “white woman appropriating” culture should be dismissed. It’s her screenplay, it’s her project – this isn’t Spielberg directing The Color Purple (still a scandal to some), this is a much more personal project.
Every frame of this black and white movie is beautiful. Every line is delivered on target. It is really hard to find any fault – although, okay, I’ll mention that the same short music cue is used over and over again and it almost feels like the budget only allowed for one 30 second music bed. It pops up all.the.time.
Passing is streaming on Netflix | 3 ½ out of 4 stars
