O Passado

Russell Tovey and Arinzé Kene are two young football players on the verge of having bigger careers when they share a hotel room the night before a big game. The titular moment happens, and then we see the fallout five and then ten years later in two different hotel rooms.

I was struck by the large disparity between how much I wanted to like this film and how little I really did. It was adapted by John Donnelly from his successful play, and it's one of the most clear "adapted from a play" films I have seen with three equal length acts involving a couple of people standing in small rooms and talking. It's a film where I really liked it's overall arc, but didn't really enjoy much of what it took to get there.

It does have a truly heroic amount of very ripped, shirtless men, so that will add an extra element for many viewers.

I almost skipped this film due to some bad reviews I read about it, and therefore was surprised to find that it is quite enjoyable and interesting. Acting is great, especially Tovey Russel's performance which I found excellent in spite of a somewhat exaggerated character script. I admit the subject treatment is a bit outdated, and the script is more suitable for chamber theater than for a film. But still, this is a very good gay flick.

The Pass does in deed look at the taboo subject of being an openly gay man in top flight British football, and indeed sport generally. It's a cooking pot we all know will explode one day when shock horror a top flight player will come out. The film relies on the acting talents of two principles, Russell Tovey and Arinzé Kene, the acting is fabulous, Tovey in particular such a talented actor. I truly bought into the way in which the film spanned the three ages, makeup etc was excellent. Unfortunately It's not a film that would appeal to the mainstream, a pity because it's a great film with a powerful message.

The 4 actors in this movie are better than a lot of those main stream actors praised by the media. The plot is so meaningful that reflects the lives o at least 3 of the best football players in our generation, because if they come out, they are done. The movie is not "claustrophobic", the rooms reflect how they have to live their intimate life, in a box. But for the unsophisticated "revivers", most likely either homophobic or the type who can only post negative views - reflecting what they feel inside - did not get the main message of the movie: Power - Shame - Insecurity Societal and Professional Homophobic rules -and bad choices that can all lead to deep unhappiness and misery.

Great movie, great actors, great story but sad and reflective of how unfair life can be.

Russell Tovey plays Jason who is with his team mate Ade (Arinze Kene) in a hotel room in Romania on the night before a big game. They spend the night talking of dreams, the chances they may take and horsing around just this side of being overtly homoerotic.

The air is crackling with sexual tension and then the story moves on into the future and that is where it gets very interesting and quite deep. To say more would ruin the plot. Now this is essentially a play in three acts and it could easily be staged. The cast is minimal and that means that everyone has to be on top form and they all are. Tovey has to carry most scenes but he is ably supported by the others involved.

This is a gay based film but it is not a bedroom fest but does feature a fair bit of nakedness but not the Full Monty type either. This is a film for those who like a very human story and have an interest in why so few football professional players have ever come out of the very packed footie closet.