Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | Final Verdict
The Story:
The Pass is about the consequences of one night between two men that spans ten years. The film starts in Romania in 2006 with two nineteen year old men in a hotel room.
Jason (Russell Tovey) is the troublemaking jock who hasn’t grown up. He taunts his friend, Abe (Arinzé Kene), and gets him worked up. Although they spend the entire first act in nothing but their underwear, there’s nothing sexual about it. These are two men who have spent eleven years playing sports together. They grew up showering and changing with groups of men. And because of this, Jason and Abe are comfortable with each other and have shared some very intimate moments.
They banter on about their past, sex, sports, and how the next day will make or break their careers.
Abe comes across as the better player and has more to lose since he isn’t from a wealthy family, unlike Jason. And because of that, he tells Jason that he’ll do whatever it takes to get on the team. That doesn’t seem to sit well with Jason, who admits that Abe is a more adept player.
There are hints that there’s something more going on beneath the surface, especially with Jason, so it’s not surprising when the rough housing gets more physical, and a hug turns into a kiss. And that kiss leaves Abe dumbfounded while Jason takes a shower. The scene ends.
The film continues five years later with Jason in a high-end hotel room in London, where we see the effects of his internalized homophobia. Now Jason is a famous footballer who hasn’t grown up. He still plays the tough guy, flouts his machismo, and struts like the heterosexual man he wants to be. He’s all puffed chest and no substance. And while Abe is not in the scene, the effects of that night five years ago are present.
The third act is five year after the second, this time in an expensive hotel in Manchester. Jason has a drug and alcohol problem and is falling apart physically and emotionally. He invites Abe to his room to discuss a business proposition.
While Jason is a crumbling mess of a man, Abe has come to accept being gay and is in a relationship with another man. He’s also fit and appears happy.
The reunion between Jason and Abe culminates in a whirlwind of denial, truth, and self-destruction.
Some thoughts:
Like Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf and The Boys in the Band, The Pass deals with people stuck, and a single night that defines them. And like those films, The Pass exposes the long-term effects of dysfunction.
Jason’s emotional turmoil is caused by internalized homophobia. He hides behind the machismo of European football, thinking that will shield the public from his truth. We see it at the end of the first act, then again in the middle of the second. By the time the third act comes around, we see the effects of not being true to yourself has on a person.
Director Ben A. Williams put together a well-made film that focuses on the themes and not the eye candy.
Final Verdict:
The Pass is a serious, yet sexy film that’s not always easy to watch. It grows increasingly uncomfortable with each act, so it’s not for the squeamish. While the direction and cinematography are well done, it’s the acting that makes this film shine.