The Pass (2013)

Ashley Grant66 said:I don't quite grasp why everyone is suddenly drooling over Marion Cotillard; most of the world already considers her a total knockout.

Seriously? That's news to me.

Personally, I'd put names like Megan Fox, Monica Bellucci, Kelly Brook, or Cheryl Cole on that list of universally admired beauties.

SPOILER

I guess... how can anyone be certain she actually squeezed his finger? Maybe he just positioned his hand that way beforehand? 🤷
Anyway, I didn't catch any movement at all.
Not even a single tear falling. 🤷

Thank goodness someone mentioned she drank detergent...
since my subtitles translated it as soap. 🙄

I’m honestly dying to see this, I just have zero clue where or how to find it. Everything on my end totally stopped working back in May.

I am seriously relieved that that blank stare Marion Cotillard calls a face won't be cluttering up the screen and ruining the whole movie for everyone else.

That being said, the concept actually sounds pretty promising; I’ve always had a soft spot for those low-key, "boring" types of stories, and honestly, the reviews I’ve been digging up look solid—like, actually amazing.

casualbadger92 said:SPOILER

How can anyone be certain she actually pressed his finger? It’s entirely possible he staged the hand movement beforehand to create the illusion. 🤷
Regardless, I didn't catch any discernible movement on my end.
Not even a single tear fell. 🤷

I also saw absolutely nothing.

It’s becoming a predictable trope from directors like Spielberg—intentionally crafting a dramatic cliffhanger for the final scene just to force the audience to sit through the credits in a state of suspense. You saw this exact kind of manipulation in films like *The Glass Menagerie*.

At first, I thought it was brilliant filmmaking, but at this stage, it feels a bit tired and overplayed.

casualbadger92 said:SPOILER

How can you guys be so sure she actually squeezed his finger? For all we know, he could have just positioned his hand that way beforehand. 🤷
Either way, I didn't see any actual movement.
Not even a single tear rolling down her face. 🤷

Here’s the tear:


He tells her: if you can smell it, squeeze my finger. She looks down at his hand, and it really looks like he gave her finger a tight squeeze. Honestly, it almost looked like he tried to pull his hand away slightly, but the woman just wouldn't let go.

Okay, now I’m convinced. Though, I have to admit, the cinematography could have been better.
And honestly, I don't even know what to think anymore.
Maybe that moment where she wasn't squeezing his finger was meant to be a symbol of her forgiveness? Like, she had the chance to hold on tight, but instead, she just let him go, and that's why the tear fell. Because I'm still pretty sure she didn't actually squeeze it. (Even if she was holding it)

🤷

Well, here we go—the Golden Globe nominations have finally landed, just as everyone expected.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM 2013

Blue Is the Warmest Color
The Great Beauty
The Hunt
The Past
The Wind Rises

At first glance, it looks like this year’s competition is going to be pretty fierce.
I honestly don't quite get how The Hunt even made the cut, considering it's such a deep dive into 2012, but whatever. I suppose that actually hurts its chances of being a serious contender for the win.
But then you have these two heavy hitters—Blue Is the Warmest Color and The Great Beauty—which could easily be more than worthy opponents.

We'll see once I get a chance to sit down and watch them all in one go.

First, I hit the forum's internal search for The Past and—surprise, surprise—absolutely nothing pops up. Just as I was about to throw in the towel and head over to the review section, my stubborn ass decides to click on The Pass (2013) and lo and behold! I find this little gem! And hey, looks like my buddy analogbear40 already beat me to it by posting ☕
.
Yeah, honestly? I think A Separation is better, even if this one has its own brilliant highlights. I’m talking specifically about the lead acting, especially Marion Cotillard. Pauline Burlet is also an absolute dream to watch, and that kid is just phenomenal. Seriously, everyone killed it.

But damn, I gotta say, the director's subtle leaning toward male chauvinism really rubs me the wrong way here. I caught hints of it in A Separation too, but at this point, it feels less like a coincidence and more like a pattern where all the guys are framed as the smarter, calmer, more innocent, or just generally "more important" characters.
I mean, let's face it, the director is just a patriarchal American. It’s kind of an eyesore, if you know what I mean.

Also, he stepped away from that "extreme close-up" style that worked so well for him in A Separation; here, the camera stays a bit further back from the leads.
He spent a decent amount of time focusing on the cozy apartment interior, while we barely feel the outside world at all. To me, that feels like a reflection of the director's "small-mindedness"—just total provincial vibes.

And yeah, fair point, Ahmad definitely gives off some serious douchebag energy.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Alexander Howard79 said:Honestly, I’m just sitting here tearing up—it's pathetic, really.

Honestly, I’m telling you—I am watching.😵

It was on TV last night—way past midnight, too.🙄

In the end, he really does squeeze his finger—it’s enough to make you lose sleep over it, I guess—but honestly, even that feels like a bit much. The whole ending just feels unfinished, like they didn't quite know how to stick the landing. And if you ask me, the biggest letdown is Samir's acting. Since he's basically carrying this entire final sequence on his back, it's a huge bummer when he just looks lost, wandering left and right without any real direction... almost like he's trying to run away from the camera or something.
Bejo, the Iranian guy, and that kid—they were all just phenomenal. Honestly, I don't think people realize how much they carried that whole thing.
So, we finally get to the ending, and it lands squarely on Samir—but honestly, if you look closely, it’s that Iranian director who’s actually making all the real moves here. I mean, sure, I guess you could argue that the Iranian filmmaker wasn't technically responsible for how the happy ending unfolded, but at the end of the day, the weight of the whole thing just sits there on Samir and his catatonic wife. It feels unfinished—not enough, in my opinion.

6/10

The Pass is undeniably an innovative, meticulously crafted, and deeply layered film. One might even describe it as something magical and spellbinding; it possesses a certain gravity that forces the viewer to acknowledge its seriousness and contemporary relevance. The primary issue lies in its almost banal premise of romantic love triangles, which unfortunately dictate several "soap opera" style twists and revelations. However, for those capable of looking past such tropes, The Pass reveals itself as a sophisticated human drama—a narrative centered on the uglier aspects of existence, the things we typically prefer to ignore. Perhaps we truly cannot leave the past behind us as long as there are lingering consequences pulling at our heels.

more at:
http://film-na-dan.blogspot.com/2014...asse-past.html

A truly magnificent film, backed by an exceptional cast!