Review: Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga illuminate the beautifully complex drama of 'Passing'
The closing shot of "Passing," Rebecca Hall's sleek and transfixing adaptation of Nella Larsen's 1929 novel, peers down from a great height at a courtyard on a cold December night, a vision partially obscured by falling snow and set to the graceful tinkling of piano chords. The image — composed by Eduard Grau in a nearly square frame and a black-and-white palette — has a hushed, frozen-in-time loveliness that feels faintly unreal. You almost expect the camera to pull back and reveal that this piercingly sad story has been unfolding inside a snow globe, trapping its characters in exquisite clothes, repetitive motions and the slow-shifting mores of a society that has left them scant room to breathe.
That society is 1920s New York, a
You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.
Start your free 30 days