The Passenger

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.

This movie is mischaracterized as a horror. It's definitely more of a suspense/psychological drama.

That being said, I thought it was rather enjoyable, with award-winning performances by Gallner and Berchtold. Can't stress enough how much Gallner's presence carries the overall average script.

The writing can feel a little flat, and the pacing sort of dies off after the first act. But, all in all, it's a decently solid film, with some interesting ideas about the balance of passivity versus aggression in relation to Randy and Benson. The main characters both stand as pillars of each side. And the narrative seems to pose the question of what is truly functional and healthy behavior when dealing with past trauma and present conflict.

Would highly recommend a watch, just for the performances alone. Looking forward to catching more of Gallner and Berchtold down the road. Great actors with promising careers ahead of them.

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 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.

The first time in a long time that I've been enthralled by a movie from beginning to end. The tense atmosphere is consistent throughout, and the character development is so well done. This is a story about trauma and raw emotion, and I must say that both main actors were exceptional at bringing that emotion to the screen in their own ways. You can feel the pain of both manifest itself in different ways as more of their past and mental states are revealed.

The script is very well done, with no exaggeration and questionable character actions that can be prevalent in similar films. I love discovering indie gems like this in a world of unoriginality and remakes. Top marks!