Passages – from ecstasy to emptiness (QFT until 7 September)

Passages is a relatively dark drama directed by Ira Sachs and co-written with Mauricio Zacharias. Tomas (Franz Rogowski) is on a high having wrapped filming on his latest project. Partner Martin (Ben Whishaw) rolls – somewhat grimly – with the punches that come for free with his tumultuous relationship. “We’ll be fine” he asserts in what feels like famous last words near the start of the film.

From the moment Adèle Exarchopoulos appears on-screen as Agathe it’s clear what will happen next. Her smouldering eyes, her dancing shoulders, all signal that Tomas is about to jump onto an unfaithful helter-skelter – a passionate, sweaty and noisy affair – that will disorientate his so-called loyalties. What is the nature of a healthy relationship? What constitutes an unhealthy coupling?

Passages starts out as a study of an obnoxious, egotistical man who is in love with himself more than his existing husband or his new mistress. Two thirds of the way through we linger in a bedroom with Agathe, lying on her mattress alone, listening to Tomas fighting and then canoodling with someone in the room next door. And despite spoilerific circumstances that I’ll not divulge in the review, in that moment she comes to terms with what had passed as a relationship and takes back control.

The film’s name offers little hint at meaning, although the font used in the opening credits should be credited for being so gorgeous. This Parisian tale could easily be retitled “Starting again: Déjà vu”. While Tomas may be the dominant bottom of the couple, Ben Whishaw’s peachy bottom is perhaps the dominant takeaway of the 92-minute movie – men are objectified much more obviously than women in this French cinematic delight – with wiggling and jiggling and thrusting that helps earn the film its 18 certificate and adds a flutter of mystery in that moment about what Martin might do next.

The tone is grim, yet some of the more incidental characters offer light relief. Agathe’s mother (Caroline Chaniolleau) asks some pertinent questions over a meal that upset Tomas. Erwan Kepoa Falé plays an author, Amad, who no longer wants to write more novels now the freedom of his anonymity has been evaporated by his debut success (a great topic to explore in a spinoff). That’s not the only thing Amad reveals by the end of the film.

Passages finishes with Tomas back on his bicycle, riding through the streets of Paris at speed. His facial expression is beautifully enigmatic: heartbroken, self-reflective, content, or even liberated. Each audience member can decide for themselves. And audiences will also have to decide whether – or how – the story could have been told without such strong sex scenes. Passages is being screened at the Queen’s Film Theatre until Thursday 7 September.

 

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