--- title: "Passages: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/passages/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/passages" critics_score: 72 critics_reviews: 15 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Passages (2023): what the critics said Critics' score 72 from 15 reviews: 11 positive, 3 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics like Passages, and the praise gathers almost entirely around the three leads. Franz Rogowski’s Tomas, a director who wrecks his marriage by sleeping with a young woman, is described again and again as magnetic and loathsome at once, while Ben Whishaw’s wounded husband and Adèle Exarchopoulos’s lover are credited with holding the film steady. The reviews agree it is frank about sex, and that the explicit scenes drive the plot rather than decorate it. Several call it Ira Sachs’s strongest work in years. The reservations are about Tomas himself. The New Yorker finds the film relentlessly pessimistic, leaving everyone in despair to no clear end, and The New York Times calls it a wince-inducing toxic romance with misery and no resolution. The Wrap thinks the other two are thinly drawn beside him; Deadline finds the sex scenes awkward rather than candid. The spread is fairly narrow, and even the doubters credit the acting. ## The i Paper — Christina Newland Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 31 August 2023. The critic describes a sinewy, sexually explicit and beautifully constructed romantic drama full of longing and emotional devastation. They single out the remarkable performances, especially from Whishaw, and the sensual, steamy energy. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/passages-review-ben-whishaw-love-triangle-2584107) ## Empire — Kambole Campbell Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 September 2023. The critic calls it a captivating tale of self-immolation and a queasily compelling character drama about a narcissist blowing up his marriage. They single out the excellent performances from the three leads for praise. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/passages/) ## Little White Lies — David Jenkins Rating 4/4/4. 30 August 2023. The review calls the film a tantalising romantic car-crash driven by Franz Rogowski's magnetic performance as the self-serving director Tomas. Superb acting from the whole cast and top-notch craft make it involving and mordantly funny. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/passages) ## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 2 August 2023. The critic calls it a torrid, thrillingly messy whirlwind of a romantic triangle with major appeal, praising its beautifully acted dynamics and the director's skill at examining relationships. It singles out the central character's magnetic yet loathsome id and a notably candid sex scene. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-08-02/passages-review-franz-rogowski-ben-whishaw-adele-exarchopoulos) ## Radio Times — Jayne Nelson Rating 4/5. The film is an excoriating, intelligent study of a selfish man whose actions upend those around him. Rogowski's astonishing performance blending arrogance and vulnerability, and Whishaw's powerful silences, are singled out for praise. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-raaw7j/passages/) ## Time Out — Stephen A Russell Rating 4/5. 20 February 2023. Festival review. Sachs delivers a sexy, sad and very French love-triangle drama with elegant Truffaut-like flair. The critic singles out the deft handling of collapsing relationships, expressive framing and standout performances, especially Exarchopoulos in a key scene. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/passages-2023) ## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 September 2023. The critic finds it a sensitive, superbly acted turbulent love triangle and a rousing return to the New Wave, with particular praise for Ben Whishaw. They note it takes a while to ignite and Tomas's behaviour can be wearing. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/passages-movie-review-ben-whishaw-ira-sachs-adele-exarchopoulos-b1103804.html) ## The New York Times — Amy Nicholson Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 3 August 2023. The critic portrays the film as a wince-inducing toxic romance in which a needy, selfish filmmaker inserts himself into a destructive love triangle. It highlights the central character's petulance and the resulting misery without resolution. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/03/movies/passages-review.html) ## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 4 August 2023. The critic describes the relentlessly pessimistic film as an unhappy portrait of shifting destructive lusts in a love triangle that leaves characters in chaos and despair. It singles out the lead performance for its vehemence amid the film's Freudian bleakness. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/08/14/passages-movie-review-lady-killer) ## Financial Times — Danny Leigh Rating ★★★★☆. 31 August 2023. The critic highlights the film's clear-eyed portrayal of a complex multilingual love triangle with insight and emotional heft, noting superb performances from the lead trio. They single out the way the film keeps the frame wide for all three characters rather than centering the narcissist protagonist. [Read the review](https://www.ft.com/content/6b72f167-d8f9-4f7b-adf1-c38b80dbacca) ## Sight and Sound 30 August 2023. The critic highlights Ira Sachs's interest in tangled couple dynamics and praises the film's sensual exploration of a destructive love triangle centered on Tomas. Strong performances from Rogowski, Whishaw and Exarchopoulos, along with expressive long shots and wardrobe details, are singled out. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/passages-second-look-review-ira-sachs-pushes-limits-pleasure-this-sensual-three-hander) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw 30 August 2023. The critic praises the film as a fiercely sexy and piercingly sad return to form for Sachs, a sophisticated love triangle exploring desire and resentment among young Parisians. They single out the exhilarating performances and the film's focus on the plot-driving explicit sex scenes for particular note. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/aug/30/passages-review-ira-sachs-strikes-gold-with-sophisticated-love-triangle) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Jon Frosch 23 January 2023. Festival review. The critic describes the film as a wise and unusually wounding work from a beloved indie auteur, centering on an insufferable narcissist whose toxic behavior wreaks havoc in a love triangle. It singles out the lead performance by Franz Rogowski for its ferocious yet shaded portrayal of desperation and magnetism. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/passages-review-franz-rogowski-ben-whishaw-adele-exarchopoulos-ira-sachs-1235306865/) ## Variety Rating Critic's Pick. 24 January 2023. Festival review. The critic deems it Ira Sachs's most brutally honest film in years, a warts-and-all study of a narcissistic director sabotaging his marriage through a destructive affair. It praises the stellar cast's ability to convey the trail of emotional destruction in this close-to-home drama. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2023/film/reviews/passages-review-franz-rogowski-ben-whishaw-1235499935/) ## Vulture 4 August 2023. The review calls the film a sexy, maddening, too-short movie about a terrible boyfriend whose manipulations drive the story, noting it feels like a companion to Sachs’ earlier work on toxic relationships. It singles out Franz Rogowski’s animal allure and the performances of Ben Whishaw and Adèle Exarchopoulos for grounding the chaos. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2023/08/passages-review-a-sexy-movie-about-a-terrible-boyfriend.html) ## /Film — Barry Levitt Rating 8.5/10. 29 January 2023. Festival review. Ira Sachs' film stands out for its fantastic performances, especially Franz Rogowski as the frustrated director, and its refreshingly effective, sensitive sex scenes that explore intimacy intelligently. It is a magnetic and hugely watchable examination of love and sex in the modern age, marking one of Sachs' best works in years. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1181729/passages-review-the-sexy-scintillating-sundance-standout-sundance/) ## The Playlist — Charles Bramesco Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 23 January 2023. Festival review. Ira Sachs delivers an irresistible, emotionally realistic portrait of a bisexual narcissist whose self-absorbed affairs create a messy love triangle with his husband and a new lover. The film excels through sharp casting, writing, and performances that capture the raw cycles of passion and reconciliation. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/passages-review-ira-sachs-sundance-20230123/) ## Collider — Ross Bonaime Rating B. 7 February 2023. Festival review. The critic praises the film's exploration of complicated relationships and the lack of easy answers, brought to life by three strong performances. They highlight the electrifying presence of the lead character and the shared pain and connection among the trio as particularly compelling. [Read the review](https://collider.com/passages-movie-review/) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 20 August 2023. Sachs examines a narcissistic film director whose impulsive affair disrupts his marriage and a new relationship, highlighting the manipulative dynamics and emotional toll. The physical intimacy is portrayed with equal emphasis in both relationships, underscoring how couples can become trapped in toxic patterns without realizing it. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/passages-2023-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 4 August 2023. The critic notes that the film lacks depth and connection due to its surface-level focus on a narcissistic protagonist, leaving other characters underdeveloped. The cast, especially Adèle Exarchopoulos, keeps things vibrant and lively. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/passages-review-ira-sachs/) ## Deadline Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 23 January 2023. Festival review. The critic finds the relationship drama exciting in parts but ultimately frustrating due to its awkward sex scenes, unlikeable lead character, and odd script choices. It maintains a nice pace and is never boring despite the flaws. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2023/01/passages-sundance-review-ira-sachs/) ## Paste — Jacob Oller Rating 8.5. 2 August 2023. Festival review. The critic calls it a venomous, sexy queer romance that deftly captures the havoc wreaked by a narcissistic lead in messy non-monogamous dynamics. They single out the naturalistic sex scenes, sharp dialogue, and impeccable performances that make the flawed characters believable and the emotional fallout cathartic. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/sundance-2023/passages-review) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/passages.md