The Passing review: “An interesting if flawed psychological thriller.”

The Passing review: This Welsh language thriller shows a lot of promise from all involved.

The Passing review by Luke Ryan Baldock. The Welsh-language film enters selected U.K. cinemas on Friday 8th April, 2016.

Welsh films don’t exactly set the box-office on fire, and Welsh language films are even rarer to come by.  However, back in 2013 a show captured the imagination of a wider audience thanks to its dark atmosphere and DNA ripped straight from popular Nordic crime shows that have been all the rage. That show was Hinterland, and although I wasn’t exactly impressed, there was certainly enough talent on show to suggest better things for the future. Producer and occasional writer of Hinterland, Ed Talfan, joins with occasional director of said show Gareth Bryn to deliver The Passing, an interesting if flawed psychological thriller.

Mark Lewis Jones plays Stanley, a loner who lives a life of monotony in a secluded farmhouse. It’s a nice slow beginning, much like this year’s The Survivalist. The boredom cements the character, rather than being tedious and unappreciated. It also gives a good introduction to gorgeous visuals that capture a dank and unpleasant landscape while also instilling a contradictory sense of beauty. It may look grim, but little speckles of sunlight are captured, and the greens of the trees blend well with the unsettling countryside.

Stanley’s life is complicated when he rescues Iwan (Dyfan Dwyfor) and Sara (Annes Elwy) from the wreckage of their car. It’s these early scenes that hold so much promise for the rest of the film. Unlike most loner/stalker films, there’s many reasons to be suspicious of Stanley, but more reasons to trust him completely. He denies the use of a phone because he genuinely doesn’t have one. This leads to frustration from Iwan, but an understanding from Sara, which in turn leads to more suspicion on Iwan’s part.

With such an enclosed film, with a very limited cast, all three leads create a fascinating dynamic that plays out superbly early on. It’s obvious that there are dark secrets in everyone’s pasts, but what isn’t so obvious is how these will come into play. They’ll be times when you suspect each of the trio as being sinister, untrustworthy, manipulative, or just a little off, earning its title as a thriller.

The pay-off isn’t so well conceived however. The major twist is sadly obvious from very early on, which dampens a lot of the later action and suspense. It’s a revelation that has been used many times before, and for this reviewer is every bit as unfulfilling as ‘it was all a dream’. Despite this, the cast have built up enough of an emotional connection to make it not a complete failure.

The Passing is a promising film that also works as an accessible entry into Welsh language productions thanks to its small cast and focus on visuals. There’s a wonderfully morose atmosphere, very good editing that keeps a steady pace and artistically matches scenes, and a score which stands out without overshadowing. With a stronger script, or just a lesser need to impress or shock, the team behind The Passing could deliver something fantastic.

The Passing review by Luke Ryan Baldock, April 2016

The Passing is released in cinemas from 8th April.