The Passenger

I didn't know anything about The Passenger when I turned it on. I expected another bland throw-away streaming movie that I either hate or does nothing for me. But it surprised me in more than one way. It hits hard, and it doesn't take long to do it.

The performances by both leads are fantastic. Kyle Gallner is really starting to impress me. I've seen him in other things. But his performances in this and Smile have solidified him as someone who makes me more excited to see a movie.

It does a great job of getting you emotionally invested in the characters and their arcs. And there are numerous intense scenes.

I can't fully explain why I don't love this more. It's good but still feels more like a streaming movie than a theatrical one. And I don't see myself watching it again. But I'm glad I did and I had a good time.

(1 viewing, 3/14/2024)

The story can be told in just a couple of sentences; as a matter of fact, there is not much in the plot. It does not even adhere to the typical structure of a linear narrative! It is more like a montage of sequences pieced together that mimics the construct of a typical three-act screenplay.

Nevertheless, this effectively puts forth moments of drama that effortlessly induce anxiety and tension. Largely owing to a set of terrific performances given by our two leads, Kyle Gallner and Johnny Berchtold.

Suffice it to say that their sincere acts elevated the script to the next level. If only the story got answers to some of the queries I had, I would have been more generous with my rating. Other than that, this one's a solid watch.

Highly recommended for the 'arthouse' enthusiasts.

NOT HORROR.

My attention span has atrophied in the last 20 years as I'm sure many people's have with internet culture- to the point where I have trouble sitting still and watching a movie for 1.5 hours. I watched this film straight through with only a break to pee.

I'm not sure why this film got stuck in the horror category, it just isn't. It's a character study and an examination of different ways people deal with trauma.

The two young men in this film have very different reactions to trauma, and this movie examines all sorts of themes about trauma and the idea that it's maybe always easy to see your way out of other people's problems while yours seem hopeless.

Kyle Galliner who plays the driver (as opposed to the passenger) absolutely knocks it out of the park with his performance, showing how a violent angry man still has his own brand of compassion and even love for someone in pain.

Not everyone will like this film, particularly if you are wanting a horror movie. But if you are a certain kind of person this movie will hit hard. I'd say watch the first 15 minutes, if that doesn't just draw you in then maybe you aren't that kind of person.

The Passenger is definitely one of my favorite 2023 watches; it's very well directed and the storyline is written progressively. Kyle Gallner is the star of the film with his antihero character where you can have a love-hate relationship with him. I feel like he's perfectly casted in this role and he just never disappoints with his performances lately. Perhaps 2023 is Kyle Gallner's year and I am all here for it and I just hope he is getting all the recognition he deserves.

The film is kind of like Terrence Malick's Badlands, also with a serial killer holding another character hostage, but with a sweet ending of betrayal, friendship, and love. Randy and Benny are two co-workers who soon and slowly forms a brotherhood bond as they drive along their small town, where not only they open up about their deepest darkest traumas but also their deepest sweetest desires. It's a story that you ought to not romanticize because of a character who's fixed to be a villain/murderer, but wherein you just realize that this villain, this antagonist of the story, still has a heart...for one person; the person he feels sorry for being oppressed, being maltreated...This antagonist, Benson, finally takes a stand for Randy, and teaches him that it's okay to react, to have some self-respect, that in the end, it's the thing that ends all this tragedy.

A young man, who's not living, but merely existing, has his life changed or awaken by a deranged and violent coworker one workday. A shocking incident sends both men on an unpredictable, violent and ultimately inspirational journey to self-discovery for one man and a doomed ending for the other man. Oddly, the deranged violent coworker, played masterfully by the always versatile and great Kyle Gallner, is an effective life coach to his timid coworker. Sure his methods are unorthodox and psychotic, but he gets the job done. Gallner is a perfect balance of uneasy calmness and explosive rage, and his final scene saying what he wanted to be as a child was sadly and beautifully acted. If a critically-acclaimed studio produced this movie or it pushed a certain political agenda, he would have been nominated for the "big" primetime award. Mostly everything behind and in front of the camera works, but something was missing. I don't know if it's in the drawn-out mall scene, but something's missing. I appreciate the ambiguous writing behind what happened to Benson (Gallner) as a child. His emotions when running into his past was enough. A good movie that takes you on a thrill ride, simmers some, thrills a little more, and then it just ends.