In the captivating new romantic drama “Passages” directed by Ira Sachs, the protagonist is a man fixated on perfecting the movements of others while struggling to control his own. The story begins on a film set in Paris, where the director, Tomas (Franz Rogowski), harshly criticizes an actor’s awkward entrance into a party scene. Tomas passionately exclaims, “This is just a transition moment, but we are turning it into a huge drama moment because you can’t seem to make simple steps down the staircase!” His arms gesture up and down to emphasize the actor’s lack of finesse.
“Passages” is filled with equally tense moments featuring the tightly-wound director, who is equally taxing in his personal life. The central tension of the film arises at the wrap party for Tomas’s frustrating film, also titled “Passages,” after his husband Martin (Ben Whishaw) leaves. Tomas revels in the attention of Agathe (Adèle Exarchopoulos), a young French woman. As the night progresses, their encounter leads them from the dance floor to a bedroom. The next morning, Tomas bursts into the apartment he shares with Martin, eagerly announcing, “I had sex with a woman. Can I tell you about it, please?” Martin, weary of Tomas’s destructive pursuit of post-production catharsis, withdraws from the conversation.
While another film might focus on the rift between the spouses and explore their emotional landscapes, “Passages” primarily delves into Tomas’s character. It portrays his relationship with Martin and affair with Agathe but doesn’t idealize the tortured artist archetype. Agathe is initially captivated by Tomas’s artistic talent, but his work becomes inconsequential in her perception of him and in the film itself. “Passages” captures Tomas’s unyielding and frank flaws without losing sight of how his actions affect those around him. Tomas is undeniably magnetic but also egotistical, brash, shortsighted, and mean. With its minimalist visual style and sharp dialogue, the film examines the interpersonal damage caused by Tomas’s carelessness, offering poignant observations about power, desire, and the psychological complexities of creative life.
Ira Sachs, a seasoned independent filmmaker known for works like “Frankie” and “Little Men,” possesses a keen understanding of the intricate dynamics of relationships. In “Passages,” the characters are constantly intertwined. Before Tomas and Agathe’s pivotal encounter on the dance floor, Martin approaches her at the bar, observing her conversation with a man. She eventually rejects him, and Martin decides to engage her. “Sorry to intrude,” Martin says in accented French, sensing Agathe’s confusion. “I thought maybe you wanted to talk to someone.” As Agathe’s affair with Tomas unfolds, Martin does not antagonize her, and the film transcends the conventional love-triangle tropes because the characters don’t blame each other for the wounds inflicted by Tomas.
“Passages” indulges in the pleasure and tyranny that encompass its main subjects: Tomas, art, love, sex, and a sense of belonging. Tomas’s affair with Agathe sparks Martin’s interest in a writer named Amad (Erwan Kepoa Falé), whose novel symbolizes the divide between the two husbands. When Agathe describes the book and the author as “very original,” it briefly destabilizes their relationship. Tomas is troubled by her admiration for another talented man, and the fact that Amad exists in Agathe’s literary imagination is as disconcerting as Tomas’s physical relationship with Martin.
Franz Rogowski’s portrayal of the needy Tomas exudes anxiety despite projecting an image of confidence. Throughout the film, Tomas is in constant motion, darting across the city on his bicycle, visiting both lovers’ houses unannounced, and appearing at their workplaces. “Passages” juxtaposes his restless persona with the composed nature of his two partners, portrayed with silent mastery by Whishaw and Exarchopoulos. Tomas exposes his insecurities to them, seeking solace from Martin for the sting he feels from Agathe’s judgment, and vice versa.
Interestingly, Tomas, though introspective, does not grapple with confusion about his sexuality or concern himself with labels. This may be attributed to the multicultural Parisian setting of the film and the fluidity of language. The closest he comes to an identity crisis is a crisis of societal norms. Following a disastrous meeting with Agathe’s parents, Tomas rushes back to Martin, confessing that he misses being with men. This tearful revelation does not imply a shift in Tomas’s sexual preferences but rather reflects his suffocation under the social expectations imposed on him as a man in what appears to be a heterosexual relationship.
Sachs skillfully choreographs various forms of intimacy in the film. Scenes like the ill-fated encounter with Agathe’s parents reveal as much about the characters’ relationships as the explicit sex scenes, which have earned the film an NC-17 rating. These scenes, like the beds they take place on, serve as sites of connection and excavation, unearthing tensions between the characters and within themselves. They serve as reminders of how relationships must transform when one person refuses to change.
Overall, “Passages” is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged film that explores the complexities of relationships through the lens of its flawed protagonist. Sachs expertly captures the profound impact of personal choices on those around us while delving into themes of power, desire, and the intricacies of creative existence.
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