Tag Archives: Ira Sachs

Film reviews

Peter Hujar’s Day Review

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This is an authentic film that pays attention to details. It finds its realism and stays on point. Directed by Ira Sachs, this is a true story that captures every essential aspect of someone telling a story. Peter Hujar’s Day plays out on an intriguing landscape. The cinematography has lighting that fuels the story with rapidly changing structures. It takes viewers on a deep and vivid journey. Overall, Peter Hujar’s Day is purely spectacular thanks to a mesmerizing performance by Ben Whishaw, who wasdestined to play Peter Hujar. It is a film about a long conversation between Peter Hujar and Linda Rosenkrantz in 1974. Rachel Hall plays Linda Rosenkrantz.  New York in the 1970s provides the perfect backdrop for a discussion that goes deep. The spiral of words in this story about the life of Hujar is spellbinding.

The film begins with Linda doing the interview with Peter on a cassette recorder. In the era before digital recording, Peter and Linda have tea and eat meals between takes. Peter continues to go deep about his many moments taking photographs of different people. It is an enlightening experience that makes audiences wonder how artists find their narrative. At the same time, it makes viewers wonder how art is created in an otherwise introverted life. Throughout Peter Hujar’s Day, the story prompted a variety of interconnected thoughts. The performances of Whishaw and Hall are the epitome of grandeur. 

I have had the opportunity to see both Whishaw and Hall in person. I saw Whishaw on stage in London in Waiting for Godotin 2024. I saw Hall on the Red Carpet at the Cannes Film Festival for The BFG in 2016. Watching them both in Peter Hujar’s Day felt natural, because they both display humanistic characteristics in their acting while portraying lead roles in this type of film. Peter Hujar’s Day is a one-of-a-kind movie. Hall is amazing playing the journalist seeking every deep word for her story. Whishaw is wonderful playing the photographer trying to be an open book while telling his story.

Peter Hujar’s Day has the New York art scene written into it right below the surface. The streets and city lights are the backdrop of Peter’s story. As the conversation goes forward, the moments of darkness come in and out of Peter’s mind. The writing of Peter Hujar’s Day carries a narrative that helps audiences appreciate how human minds can weave emotionally up and down, especially when so much energy is given to a craft, and nothing comes of it. Peter Hujar’s Day is a joyful wonder of amazement and a real treasure. It is a little too short though. There could have been more to the story, and the film felt a bit incomplete since it only runs for about seventy-six minutes. Overall, however, that timing is made up for by its artistic brilliance. Three out of four stars.

Film reviews

Passages Review

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There are films in which relationships involve tension, confusion, and dishonesty. Then there are films where one’s desire may have irreparable effects. Director Ira Sachs delivers a brilliant and well-crafted drama that is surreal in its humanity.  In Passages, a man’s relationship is tested by sleeping with someone else. Passages was originally rated NC-17, but then was changed to Unrated. This was probably the best rating it could have received, because otherwise the film would not receive the recognition it truly deserves. The movie is a stylized ride of boundaries, which is seductively invigorating.

The film takes place in France and focuses on a gay married couple, Tomas and Martin (played by Franz Rogowski and Ben Whishaw). Tomas is a film director always striving for a successful project. When Tomas experiences mixed expectations of his own progress along with being bored by Martin’s enthusiasm, his attractions begin to shift. He meets Agathe (played by Adele Exarchopoulos), who is a schoolteacher and a colleague of Tomas. Tomas and Agathe begin having a relationship which consists mostly of meeting up to socialize and hook-up. Tomas is open with Martin about the fact that he is seeing a woman, but that causes the tension between the two men to boil. Is Tomas truly in love with Agathe? Does Tomas still have feelings for Martin? Is Martin feeling different about who he truly loves as well? The film is a sexy ride that mirrors reality.  Passages adds fuel to the emotional fire that thrives on the film’s conflict which is caused by lust, confusion, and jealousy.

The concept of separation speaks strongly in the film. The film’s writing is strong in exploring that it appears there is no easy door of departure for Tomas, Martin, or Agathe. However, there is still some strange connection between the three characters.  Martin’s personality helps the film to find calm in spite of the harsh situation that Tomas has created. Ben Whishaw who plays Martin does a fine job portraying an introverted, artistic nerd.  His role as the one dealing with frustrations fits the dismissive side of his character. Also, the part of Franz Rogowski as Tomas effectively displays his character’s boredom. The layers of solitude and quiet help the film’s tensions slowly boil, and then there are moments where tensions explode in upsetting scenes. There are no easy roads in Passages. There are only paths in which problems must be dealt with for the sake of Tomas and Martin, and for the sake of Tomas and Agathe. Who is the happy couple? In the end, happiness depends upon the truth and Passages will make its viewers want the truth.

This film is a unique, artistic revelation. Passages is faithful in portraying how humans want to go with their gut and how humans take risks which impact everyone in their lives. The risks Tomas takes impact the feelings of Martin. Is there a place where their hearts truly lie? Find out in Passages. Four out of four stars.