THE PASS
Ben A. Williams
2016; UK; 88 min.
West Coast Premiere!

In the role he originated on stage, Russell Tovey (Looking, Quantico) delivers a knockout performance as an eager yet deeply conflicted soccer pro having to grapple with his sexuality in the spotlight. The story opens with young Jason (Tovey) and his teammate Ade (Arinze Kene) on a tense evening before a match that will make or break their careers. Blowing off steam, their amped-up horseplay leads to homoerotic friction for which neither is prepared.

With five years passing between each of the film’s three chapters—all set in hotel rooms—Jason’s ultimate rise in fame is mirrored by his ever more luxurious surroundings. This claustrophobic character piece thoughtfully portrays his increasingly desperate attempts to escape, raising the emotional stakes to a boiling point. The price Jason pays for choosing superstardom over honesty and intimacy is skillfully charted in Tovey’s unflinching performance: his cockiness and swagger expanding as his efforts to hide his true feelings increase, until he finally confronts the friend he betrayed.

Adapted by John Donnelly from his own critically acclaimed play, this directorial debut from Ben A. Williams (with veteran British producer Duncan Kenworthy, FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, NOTTING HILL) provides an honest and ultimately tender look inside the closets many prominent queer public figures still find themselves locked in, as an evolving world—and a shot at true love—pass them by.

Contains sexual and violent situations.