In Passing (2023) – Movie Review and Summary (with Spoilers)
Work can often get in the way of romance, especially when survival is more paramount than quality time.
Film Summary
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Rey and Elle are a couple who live together. Elle spends her days painting people’s animals for a living, while Rey works at a restaurant. Rey having to work so hard becomes a point of contention as she sees Elle spend her days at home, waste food, and not show the wear and tear of trying to survive as she does. But is this disparity enough to tear these two apart?
Character Descriptions
Please Note: This character guide is not an exhaustive list of every cast member, and character descriptions may contain what can be considered spoilers.
Rey
Rey is an overworked person working in the food industry.
Elle
Elle is an artist who works from home, painting people’s animals.
Review
Our Rating: Mixed (Divisive)
On The Fence
The Push and Pull
Shorts are created for varying reasons. Some are proof of concept that something can be done and attract an audience. Others are about expanding a creator’s filmography and showing they can run a set. This is why “In Passing” is hard to really talk about. No short outright tells you what the goal of making it was. For “In Passing,” is it to just get a glimpse of an LGBTQIA+ couple who doesn’t have an ideal relationship but rather one that looks real? Is it simply supposed to show how working to survive is not just killing the worker but all they are working for or to keep?
Don’t get me wrong, what we see between Elle and Rey is likable, but the push and pull of it all is feeling like, as a viewer, you can see the restraints due to time and budget, which leaves you feeling like you ultimately got something incomplete.
General Information
| Director(s) | Hillia Aho |
| Screenplay By | Hillia Aho |
| Based On | N/A |
| Date Released (Film Festival – Tribeca Film Festival) | June 19, 2023 |
| Genre(s) | Romance, Young Adult, LGBT+ |
| Film Length | 10 Minutes |
| Content Rating | Not Rated |
| Noted Characters and Cast | |
| Rey | Fedra Ramirez Olivares |
| Elle | Kaileela Hobby |
Recommendations
If you like this movie, we recommend:
- Our Son (2023): A full-length feature showing the complicated dissolution of a couple’s relationship, especially with them sharing a son and how it affects their found family.
Also, check our movies page for more recommendations and our latest movie reviews.
FAQs
What Is “In Passing” Rated And Why?
“In Passing” is not rated and features nothing notable.
Where Can I Watch “In Passing?”
Tribeca At Home until July 2, 2023
