The Pass

'The Pass' aka 'Highway Hitcher' is a fun little thriller if you like William Forsythe, simple low-budget stories and don't expect more than the necessary basics. There's adequate tension, a few twists & laughs. It also happens to have one of the worst trailers out there that ruins the movie and all it's moments if you can believe that.

Charles Duprey (Forsythe) enjoys gambling and follows thru on a trip to Reno even after wife Shirley (Nancy Allen) leaves him. Along the way he picks up a stranded Hunter (James LeGros), but when his weird side starts to show Duprey ditches him. Unfortunately the road ahead gets closed due to bad weather and Duprey spends the night at a roadside motel allowing the deranged man to catch up to him.

One reviewer calls Forsythe's character a loser, but I disagree. He's a mild man with his life together but in a rut. He starts to find himself again, but has to go on this ride surrounded by death to get there. The supporting cast is really small, but a young Jamie Kennedy appears as a state trooper and Elizabeth Pena provides female sexuality. While Nancy Allen & Michael McKean (as Duprey's friend and co-worker) are basically glorified cameos.

I originally saw 'The Pass' on late night tv - home to low quality flicks - and in many ways this title fits right in. I don't blame anyone if they say it doesn't have a lot going on, but I enjoyed it's simplicity and Forsythe. Seeing it again many years later didn't change that fact.

Saw this for free on the B-side of a DVD I rented of Dark Waters.

Awful clichés and contrivances in Highway Hitcher (The Pass).

What if Duprey chose not to go to Reno, or if he went by plane, or didn't pick up the hitchhiker, or reported the whole story to the police earlier?

Apathetic 911 workers who hang up, or don't investigate hang-ups.

Other plot holes wider than "the pass" itself.

Some odd direction seemed to be pointing towards a more interesting movie. Duprey and the hitcher both seemed to be having flashbacks and/or visions, some of them occasionally suggesting that they might be the same person, but no.

I can't see this movie's point. I mean... the story is terrible, the acting ridiculous and the direction very, very lame. So I can't see how did the writer and director wanted to convince us that this movie was good. If they tried to make something scary they failed

My Rating: As I can't give it a 0 I give it a 1.

The first half of this film held some promise as it seemed like the film was going to be a low-key character psychodrama like THE MINUS MAN but then the whole thing collapses into cliche and the viewer slowly loses all interest. There's a decent cast here but the film is lifeless and the talent completely wasted.

I loved this movie from the plot, to the cast, to the finale. James LeGross has the role of his life. He is hired to kill (cowardly) William Forsythe and would succeed if it wasn't for the pesky cops and Forsythe's elusive demeanor. The best part of the movie is when LeGross goes for his signature move the "jump punch" but it wasn't a direct hit so it didn't kill Forsythe, only injured him. I don't want to give anything away, so I will let you formulate your own opinion. But I don't think that you will be disappointed with the acting or the plot in this movie, it all seems to come together perfectly throughout the entire film without any dull moments. Just give it a chance and I guarantee you won't be let down, holla.