User reviews

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.

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.

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.

I enjoyed this movie from the start. It grips you in and keeps you invested until the end. The performances are really what carry it and the unpredictable nature of the antagonist. The horrific nature of his crimes paired with his charismatic laid back personality is a brilliant clash. The only problem I have with the movie is its generic predictable ending. Anyone watching would think 1 of 2 scenarios would happen. Protagonist stands up to him and kills him or the antagonist gets caught. Unfortunately one of these is the case and I felt this movie could've gone in 100 different directions. It had endless possibilities but chose a basic boring ending. However it doesn't undo what the film presented prior. It's definitely entertaining and ultimately keeps you guessing until the end. I appreciated this film. Talented cast really made this film memorable for me.

The acting is impressive across the board, with everyone's performance hitting the mark. But with much of the film featuring the two leads alone with each other it's Berchtold and Gallner who really get to shine.

A ride well worth taking, The Passenger is a hard film to watch, but most viewers will find it harder to turn it off. It's brutal both physically and emotionally and becomes increasingly more suspenseful as it builds to a seemingly inevitable climax.

It becomes something more than just the standard Hollywood psycho just as The Passenger is something other than the typical Hollywood thriller.

You don't except much from these movies but this one was a worthy package, a good thriller with great acting from both young boys.

"Everything starts when one worker at fast-food store starts shooting down everyone except just one Guy, which he feels bad for him, take him as his friend, So they take a journey to test the waters, and try to give him a lesson for life, it was psychological a bit, the one was always taking actions the other one had the patience, the one had the option fix things the other one not, In The end The Patience always wins.. The life wasn't the way how the dead guy supposed to be, you need to balance your emotions happy/angry by not always taking always actions, his patience was missing, cost his life."

Rewatched 13 January 2024.

This movie was well done. In all aspects. Did it need to exist however? No. Do we need more random violence with no real true doubt or meaning to the story. No. Is it realistic enough of a story to probably be true somewhere? Yes. With that said, this one you will not forget, but you also do not need to watch it. You will gain literally nothing. You can watch "Falling Down" instead. Not that this wasn't strange, well directed, scored well, etc... it just to me, imo, fell a little flat in regard to what the purpose was. I mean I get it, bit I've seen much better jobs done in regards to having someone be forced to face their fears.

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.

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)

Overall, I found this movie boring. A lot of dialogue about similar things made the conversations in the film seem repetitive. It seems like the makers of the movie threw in violent, bloody scenes from time to time to simply keep the viewer from falling asleep.

Character development was sort of hit and miss. One of the main characters (Bradley) is well developed and they do a very good job of helping the audience get to know him. On the other hand, the other main character (Benson) is never really developed beyond being an irritating psychopath. He is not "mysterious". He's just angry and we never really find out why.

I typically judge a movie based on whether I would like to see it again, and if so, when. A week from now? A month from now? A year from now? I have no interest in ever seeing this film again. But, that's just me.

This really surprised me. I had no expectations going into it but was hugely impressed by the end.

On reflection, the first thing I think of is how well made it is. The direction, the editing, the plot, the script and the acting are all top drawer.

Special shouts out go to Kyle Gallner who is excellent as the burger boy gone postal.

Johnny Berchtold is great as the wimp you need when Micael Cera is too expensive.

Carter Smith and Jack Stanley, Director and writer respectively, are names i will look out for in the future.

The 2 scenes, one in the burger joint and the diner, are ones that will live with me for a while.

The concept of this film is pretty interesting, but besides that it wasn't really engaging for me. After the first 15 or so minutes, the movie turns into a car/diner movie similar to the Nic Cage movie "SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL".

If you like lots of exposition dialogue and long periods where not much happens, then by all means watch this. For me, it wasn't enough to be a recommendation to anyone.

Another thing that bothered me was the acting of the hostage. It's like Michael Cera on steroids. He's so weak/timid and over acted that the character almost ruins every scene. You'll notice it more towards near the mid point of the film as it keeps on going. 4.7/10. Also they use CGI for the shooting scenes 👎

This is much more of a thriller/drama than anything, but when the gore hit, it hits.

Both lead actors in this did a really phenomenal job. I've never seen the quieter of the two before and I'd be interested to see him in something else. Despite this being a moderately slow paced thriller, it does an excellent job keeping you engaged and wondering what's coming next. There was something that felt so genuinely heartfelt about this experience, despite the obvious situation at hand.

I wish maybe there was a bit more background story wise. I would have just liked to know a few more "whys". There was quite a bit that I found a bit confusing or just wanted more context on.

If you're someone who likes everything explained and the end of the movie to be wrapped up in a nice little bow this is not gonna be for you.

But if you enjoy something that's engaging, genuinely going to make you think and pull on a couple heart strings, I definitely recommend. 6.5 rounding down to a 6.

I'm hot and cold when it comes to Blumhouse movies. Too many of are formulaic and all look the same aesthetically. However, THE PASSENGER is quite a surprise. It's raw, intense and absorbing. The script is tight and well written. It's well shot (in its starkness). Kyle Gallner and Johnny Berchtold are excellent in their roles. I do appreciate the runtime. Just over 90 minutes is perfect for this kind of story. This is a short, explosive relationship between captor and captive. My only complaint is the ending. It felt tacked on and out of place. The game Randy plays with the little girl at the end seemed a bit on the noise under the circumstances (people who've seen the movie will know what I mean).

Overall, this is a gem of a movie that I hope more people get to see.

The Passenger is a engaging simple thriller that starts strong, is supported by very well acted characters and generally always keeps it suspense in check. But it fails to deliver enough story and depth to really stick the landing.

Directing is strong, real car driving was a treat that needs to be appreciated more. It adds to the grounded feel of the movie. Besides that it's well shot, composition being the leading factor but not much else exciting beyond that.

Acting is what carries this, both main performances are great and excell in both their roles. Whilst Randy gets a fine story and arc. Benson is first off really well acted and a strong suspense character you can't ever really trust. His moment at the school finally let some light on his story. But that was it. It was lackluster on his side even though we had enough time for it.

All in all, decent thriller.

A young man, Bradely whose first name is Randy but everyone thinks that Bradely is his first name, wakes up after a terrifying nightmare to go to the morning shift of a burger place, and over there the manager offers him a better job, since he's the only one there who actually gives a damn, then another guy there starts to bully him and forces him to eat a bid sandwich, only then another employee, Benson (Kyle Gallner) goes to his car and gets a shotgun and all hell breaks loose. Then the rest of the film these two guys go on a road trip with a fateful ending. I had no information about this film before seeing it, but I'm glad I did. The film is trying to address many issues that faces young people these days. First Randy who suffers from a childhood trauma that turned him into a withdrawn man, who is bullied and avoids making any conformations with anyone, then there is Benson, who is for some reason has so much rage inside and when he saw Randy being mistreated, he just snapped and decided to do something about it. The two lead actors Johnny Berchtold and Kyle Gallner did a really good job, but I feel there was some things that were left unexplored, like why Benson turned out like that, and Randy's family was left out. But as a whole It was a decent film.

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!

The Passenger is a drama, horror, thriller film.

It has a unique story that I never thought it would end like what the ending would be. Very good plot.

I am not familiar with the actors but I just saw a film just yesterday of Kyle Gallner who played the role of Benson in this film. I really think he is a good actor. Even the other film of him that I saw yesterday, he was good there although the film is not that good. But The Passenger took him to another level of acting. Even his co-actor, Johnny Berchtold who played the role of Randy Bradley, played his part very well.

There is just one thing caught my attention. The mall scene. When Benson and Bradley went to see Lisa. I noticed that all the stores in the mall were closed aside from where Lisa is working. I am not sure if this is normal in the US or what?

Also, if the crime rates in the US are high, why would the secretary in the school give Benson and Bradley the personal information of the school's employee which they should really keep it in private? I am just wondering.

Anyway, everything is good in this film.

OK so the beginning sequence felt very lpw budget amd like I was in for really poor filming. 1 3rd through though you can see that the film doesn't feel poor quality. In fact the acting is Top tier. And later on some good lighting and sounds. Like you'd get in a good indie film, the problem is the script wasn't good. I liked the teacher he reunited with but the rest of the story made no sense or to why Benson did anything. Though I will say his beat down scene was pretty impressive amd Bradley manages to convey lots of emotions. There just was no script or point. It wasn't even a road movie. They basically went in a circle road the block. Waste of talent as you'd be better off watching something that has a point sadly.

I loved this film! The beginning is brilliantly set up, we're not sure who the antagonist or protagonist is going to be. But soon enough, we find out in a brutally executed way.

It reminded me a lot of Falling Down (which I also love). It's a character driven thriller which has moments of dark humour and moments of sadness, but it all leads to a fitting final act.

Definitely worth a watch for those who love psychological thrillers. It's cleverly written and superbly acted. The whole cast are fantastic here.

I've rated it so highly because 1 it deserves it, but 2 I'm fed up with franchise movies selling us the same crap with 0 creativity. Here's a film worthy of your time and we need more like them.

Wow..wow..wow...this was brutal. After seeing so many horrors, and so many low budgets, slow burns, indie projects, I've learned to be patient and to always find a way to appreciate someone's effort.

But I swear, The Passenger has nothing to offer, I realized this about 40 minutes in, yet I couldn't shut it off, I simply had to see how it ends, because there are numerous movies where a good twist saves the film. Not here tho, the end actually makes it worse.

Seeing that Kyle Gallner is in it, I actually had some hopes for it, sadly I was mistaken. Let me be shorter now: you get no tension, no horror, no real kill shots, nothing new, nothing spectacular, it's as plain and bland as something can be. If this movie was a drink, it would be water. Just not good water, days old one, sitting in the sun. I honestly can't tell why this movie was made, and believe me, I really like horror in all its forms. It just has to have one.

Definitely not recommended, as I previously stated, nothing to see. I can't stress this enough...nothing to see. No bonding, no interest, no closure.

Cheers!

Director Carter Smith Began as a Very Successful Fashion Photographer with Works Appearing in Prestigious Glossy Magazines. You Would Not Associate that Particular Proclivity High-Lighting Beauty with this Dark-Lighting Take on the Misanthropic World of Personality Deficits of the Leading Characters Here...Bradley & Benson.

Bradley is so Introverted and Withdrawn that He Never Told Anybody about His Erroneous Name Tag Displaying...BRADLEY...

Actually Bradley is His Last Name and RANDY His First Name...Some would Consider Him Spineless, Refusing to Correct the Error...

Others Might Say it is "Going With The Flow", a Zen Mantra of How to Flourish No Matter What Path-of-Life Confronts You.

Benson, Sees this and Other "Laid-Back" Behavior as Cowardliness and Not Willing to Stand-Up to the Bully-Boys who so Often Take Advantage of the Souls who Would Rather Flight From a Fight.

Asserting Ones-Self is a Virtue, and the Only Defense Against Life's Hard-Knocks says Benson, Bradley's Co-Worker at the Burger-Joint, where We Witness a Cringe-Inducing Display of Bradley Submission to a Domineering Power...

Benson Snaps, that's "All He Can Stand, He Can't Stands No More"...He Shot-Guns Everyone and Blood-Splattered the Walls Giving the Joint a Modern-Look so Familiar and what has Become and American News-Cycle of the "Spree-Killing" of the Week.

That's just the 1st-Act and Now We Join Bradley and Benson as a Road-Game of Discovery Plays-Out for the Remainder of this Horrific Character Study of Psychology as Professed by the Psycho with a Gun who Lectures Bradley on Taking Control of His Life.

OK Viewers...Sign-Up for this Class Now...Don't Wait, the Professor Might Not be Alive for Long.

But at Least the Remainder of this Extremely Well Acted, but Dull Class-Room of Mid-Western Emptiness is so Unattractive and Universally Unappealing as a Background One Wonders How Anyone Could Flourish in this Oppressive Environment, or Want to.

A Sophomoric, Fortune-Cookie-Movie Advice on How-to-Live by a Well-Known and Respected Author, You can Call Him...

"Psycho with a Gun".