Passing
By Jordan Elizabeth,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Nuanced drama about race and identity in 1920s New York.
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Passing
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Based on 1 parent review
This film draws you in with its slow and tense releationships
What's the Story?
In PASSING, Irene (Tessa Thompson) runs into her childhood friend Clare (Ruth Negga) at a restaurant in 1920s New York City. At first, the women don't recognize each other, as they've both changed their appearance to be able to "pass" as White women. Irene, who's passing for the day, learns that Clare has been passing as White for many years. Clare introduces Irene to her White husband (Alexander Skarsgård), who, ignorant to being in the presence of Black women, quickly reveals his racist hatred of Black people. Irene ventures back to her life in Harlem, where she lives with her Black husband, a doctor named Brian (André Holland), their two children, and a housekeeper. Clare writes to Irene, expressing an interest in spending time with her in Harlem, where she feels safe to be her true self. Irene's family and friends are quickly taken by Clare -- her proximity to whiteness makes her deceivingly desirable. And her presence threatens the intentional and protective self-love that Irene has painstakingly nurtured in her world. How long can Clare keep up her lie of being White while leeching off of the culture she has chosen to reject for so long?
Is It Any Good?
Passing is a stylized yet nuanced look into the practice of Black people passing for White. The film is able to explore whiteness in a unique way, since neither of the main characters is White. As a result, "whiteness" plays an abstract character of its own, both alluring and plaguing the movie's Black community. Irene, her husband, and her friends each have their moment of attraction toward Clare: It's the classic dynamic of oppressed people coveting the likeness of their oppressor. Clare represents a privilege that they have likely, if subconsciously, aspired to have. She has access to the power and protection that comes with being seen as White.
But that privilege isn't free. It has caused Clare to relinquish aspects of her true self. Irene, on the other hand, has had to nurture her power and protection on her own. A friendship with Clare means a friendship with someone who hides an identity they both share. If Clare rejects her own blackness, how can she possibly value Irene's blackness? Passing is a beautiful directorial debut from Rebecca Hall. Thompson exhibits restrained intensity as Irene, and Negga plays a lost, reckless, yet inescapably lovable Clare. Sensitivity and generosity touch every element of the production, from the cinematography to the editing, allowing viewers to sit in the prolonged emotion of the characters.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the movie handles the idea of "passing." What do you think were the costs and benefits for a Black person who chose to pass in the United States in the 1920s?
Do you agree with Irene or Brian about the idea of talking to their kids about racially motivated violence like lynching?
Why do you think Clare chose to spend so much time in Harlem with Irene? How does reconnecting with Irene affect Clare's personal identity (and vice-versa)?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: November 10, 2021
- Cast: Tessa Thompson , Ruth Negga , Andre Holland
- Director: Rebecca Hall
- Inclusion Information: Female directors, Female actors, Black actors, Latino actors, Multiracial actors
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Friendship , History
- Run time: 98 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: thematic material, some racial slurs and smoking
- Last updated: February 17, 2023
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