The Reel Review
A fateful night of sexual discovery in a hotel room profoundly impacts the lives of two professional footballers in this adaptation of John Donnelly’s acclaimed London stage play. Told over the course of a decade, three hotel room vignettes reveal how choices made by each of the two young men alters the course of their lives in this LGBTQ romantic drama.
Russell Tovey (Quantico, Looking: The Movie, Pride) and Arinzé Kene (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) are mesmerizing – initially, as the young men torn between their sexual attraction and competitiveness towards one another, and later, as adults coming to terms with their life choices under the cloud of internalized homophobia and racism. The exceptionally well-written dialogue and symbolic claustrophobia of the hotel rooms make you feel like a voyeur, witnessing highly intimate conversations not meant for you. And Tovey’s career defining, multi-layered performance is an impactful analysis of sexuality and fame.
REEL FACTS
• Russell Tovey, who came out gay as a teenager, played the role of Jason in the original 2014 play at London’s Royal Court Theatre
• The Pass was nominated for a 2017 BAFTA award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer for John Donnelly (writer) and Ben Williams (director)
• In addition to his acting career, Arinzé Kene is an accomplished playwright, most recently starring in his 2018 play Misty in London
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