FrankMMueller
"The Pass" is based on a play by John Donnelly, was lately made into a movie by Ben A. Williams and deals with the subject of sports (in this case football) and homosexuality. One should know that before watching the movie. Those who expect explicit sex scenes between excited gay guys are totally wrong here. The film offers the finest of actors cinema, is more of a chamber-like psycho-study and can not muster with action scenes. But if you get involved with the psychology of the characters, the film becomes an experience. The story spans a period of ten years and begins in a hotel room in Romania. Two young footballers, Jason (Russell Tovey) and Ade (Arinze Kene),are really excited the night before their first big Champions League match, make a lot of nonsense and prepare for the match. And suddenly without any warning Jason kisses his mate Ade. This kiss will completely change and determine their relationship and their lives over the next decade. And as the story begins, so it ends, in a hotel room, where the two friends meet again. Director Williams filmed the entire story in just one or two rooms. This sometimes claustrophobic tightness is intended to illustrate how trapped Jason is in his life, from which he can not break out and free himself. Williams tells us with his story that the alleged winner is sometimes the bigger loser. And to the viewer (our society), the director wants to convey that if we were finally ready to accept people as they really are, tragedies like Jason's would be avoidable. The most tragic thing in the end is that Jason does not manage to change his life. Though completely devastated, he does not manage to jump over his shadow and remains lonely. He will live on as before, trapped in his own hell - to the bitter end. On the question of the friend which intent was hidden behind his behavior on the fateful night ten years ago, Jason can only answer incapable: "I don't know". But that is not the truth. We learn what the true intention was when we watch the last scenes of the movie, where is shown what happened after the kiss...(and only then we understand it correctly, because for a few seconds we discover the real Jason and that is deeply touching).
Russell Tovey is undoubtedly the unlimited star of the movie, an outstanding actor, but unfortunately completely undervalued internationally.
He lives openly gay and deals with this fact in his work for a couple of years. In the UK, he seems to have no major problems with this, but internationally (lets say Hollywood) it is still not trusted that gay men could play heterosexual love scenes. He has often proved how well he is capable of doing so. Unfortunately, big international roles, which would suit him, are not offered to Russell. What a waste of talent !
Russell Tovey is completely absorbed in his role, you can say he lives it out. He has his best scenes towards the end of the film, as the facade of Jason begins to crumble, e.g. when Ade asks him, "Now that you need me, you want me to stay with you?" and Jason answers with a tearfully voice: "You're the last thing I remember of any value", then one feels such a strong intensity and deep honesty that one asks oneself very moved, how one can play this so convincingly. If "The Pass" was not an independent movie and had been produced on a big budget and started in cinemas nationwide with 400 copies and then worldwide, Casey Affleck would probably have lost out at this year's Oscars. As in the film, here we have the proof that the best one is not always the winner and those who earn it are often left out. Encore Russell, encore...
sinnerofcinema
I had the pleasure of watching this film during the 2017 Outfest Film Festival in Los Angeles and all I kept thinking to myself is WOW! This film was so well done and real to life. I actually know several personal friends who have chosen the path of career over finding true love. The results can be loneliness and missed opportunities. This film shows three different stages where love opportunities where missed over career goals. There are many levels to this film so I won't give anything from this film away. You MUST watch this film with an eye for details for there are many layers of story being told simultaneously. The actors were superb. Specially the main character who carried the film very well with conviction and authenticity. Kudos to him. Highly recommended. Beautifully done and executed.
Tom Dooley
Russell Tovey plays Jason who is with his team mate Ade (Arinze Kene) in a hotel room in Romania on the night before a big game. They spend the night talking of dreams, the chances they may take and horsing around just this side of being overtly homoerotic.The air is crackling with sexual tension and then the story moves on into the future and that is where it gets very interesting and quite deep. To say more would ruin the plot. Now this is essentially a play in three acts and it could easily be staged. The cast is minimal and that means that everyone has to be on top form and they all are. Tovey has to carry most scenes but he is ably supported by the others involved.This is a gay based film but it is not a bedroom fest but does feature a fair bit of nakedness but not the Full Monty type either. This is a film for those who like a very human story and have an interest in why so few football professional players have ever come out of the very packed footie closet.
John V.
I wish there was option to give nothing or 0 , but sadly I have to give this movie 1 star and it is still too much. I had to leave after 1 hour because I couldn't longer watch this nonsense. Everything about this movie is bad, the script, the actors, the story line, EVERYTHING. There is nothing there, meaningless dialogs and poor jokes from time to time, the first 40 minutes of movie are in some kind of hotel room where basically nothing happened. I wasn't expecting sex or something, but there was nothing interesting happening. I kept questioning myself what this movie is all about, but I realised that it is cheap ***t, some people decided to make a nice poster to attract/target certain society group thinking to easy suck their money out and at least they succeed in my case. I wish I could get 15 pound refund, but sadly this is not possible. My best advice for you is: every single time you see a poster of this movie - RUN AWAY FROM IT and don't look back.
