tapestry of human desires, conflicts, and reconciliations. It’s a film that delves into the raw complexities of human relationships, painting a portrait of love and infidelity with a delicate yet decisive brush. At its heart is Tomas, played by the magnetic Franz Rogowski, whose nuanced performance as a German filmmaker living in Paris captures the tempestuous and often self-centered pursuit of personal pleasure.
Tomas, who is married to the stable and understanding Martin, portrayed with tender precision by Ben Whishaw, finds himself ensnared in a passionate affair with Agathe, a role inhabited with remarkable depth by Adèle Exarchopoulos. The ensuing narrative is one of sexual awakening and emotional upheaval, as Tomas’ infidelity leads him down a rabbit hole of self-discovery and reckoning.
The film’s narrative structure is a masterclass in pacing and development. Sachs, along with co-writer Mauricio Zacharias, crafts scenes that resonate with emotional truth, each moment meticulously designed to unfold the layers of the characters’ complex psyches. The interactions between Tomas, Martin, and Agathe are not just conversations but revelations, each word and silence laden with meaning and intent.
Passages doesn’t just depict the joy and pain of love; it also grapples with the themes of ownership and freedom within relationships. Tomas’ journey is fraught with a narcissistic disregard for boundaries, yet Sachs ensures that his protagonist is not a mere caricature of vice but a fleshed-out individual with a recognizable humanity.
Sachs’ Paris is a character in its own right, a canvas upon which the drama unfolds. The city’s enchanting streets and moody cafes become sanctuaries and battlegrounds for the characters as they navigate the complexities of their intertwined lives. The setting is both a witness to and a participant in the unfolding drama, its beauty juxtaposed against the characters’ turmoil.
The film’s cinematography by Josée Deshaies deserves special mention. Her camera work is intimate, almost uncomfortably so, drawing the audience into the most private moments of the characters’ lives. The lingering shots allow the viewer to fully absorb the emotional texture of each scene, turning passive observation into an almost participatory experience.
Passages also explores the aftermath of desire, the quiet yet tumultuous internal struggles that come after the storm of passion has passed. It interrogates the notion of fidelity—not just to others but to oneself—and the consequences of our choices. Sachs doesn’t offer easy answers; instead, he presents a narrative that asks the viewer to question, to empathize, and to reflect.
The performances across the board are nothing short of remarkable. Rogowski’s portrayal of Tomas is layered, evoking both empathy and frustration. Whishaw’s Martin is the emotional anchor of the film, offering a study in patience and pain. Exarchopoulos brings a raw, unfiltered emotion to Agathe, delivering a performance that is both powerful and poignant.
But Passages is not content to rest on the laurels of its performances alone. The script is a thing of beauty, with dialogue that feels lifted from life—raw, unpolished, and piercingly real. Sachs’ direction ensures that the film remains a tightly woven narrative, with each scene building upon the last to create a crescendo of emotional complexity.
In the final act, the film reaches a poignant denouement, one that doesn’t so much resolve the tangled web of emotions as it offers a moment of quiet understanding. Passages is a testament to the enduring power of cinema to explore the human condition, a reflective mirror held up to the audience’s own experiences and relationships.
Passages is a film that stays with you, haunting in its exploration of the human heart. Sachs has created a cinematic experience that is as confounding as it is captivating, a film that weaves through the passages of love, loss, and the labyrinthine journey of self-discovery. It’s a passage through the complexities of life, love, and the myriad ways we connect and disconnect with each other—a journey that, once embarked upon, is not easily forgotten.
