Rebecca_NP0 Hall_NP0 makes_VVZ a_AT0 strong_AJ0 impression_NN1 with_PRP "_PUQ Passing_VVG ,_PUN "_PUQ her_DPS first_ORD movie_NN1 as_PRP a_AT0 writer-director_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 film_NN1 tells_VVZ the_AT0 story_NN1 of_PRF two_CRD Black_AJ0 women_NN2 in_PRP the_AT0 1920s_CRD ,_PUN one_CRD of_PRF whom_PNQ has_VHZ lighter_AJC skin_NN1 and_CJC is_VBZ passing_AJ0 as_CJS white_AJ0 ,_PUN and_CJC has_VHZ a_AT0 stylistic_AJ0 linearity_NN1 and_CJC an_AT0 overall_AJ0 feeling_NN1 that_DT0 's_VBZ rare_AJ0 in_PRP modern_AJ0 movies_NN2 ._SENT Hall_NN1 creates_VVZ a_AT0 surface_NN1 tension_NN1 ,_PUN but_CJC a_AT0 quiet_AJ0 tension_NN1 ,_PUN one_PNI that_CJT 's_VBZ attenuated_AJ0 and_CJC seeps_VVZ into_PRP daily_AJ0 life_NN1 ._SENT It_PNP 's_VBZ shot_VVN in_PRP black-and-white_AJ0 ,_PUN which_DTQ evokes_VVZ the_AT0 era_NN1 ,_PUN but_CJC there_EX0 's_VBZ an_AT0 extra_AJ0 gloss_NN1 to_PRP it_PNP that_CJT makes_VVZ it_PNP feel_VVB not_XX0 unreal_AJ0 but_CJC a_AT0 bit_NN1 under_PRP glass_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 veneer_NN1 never_AV0 shatters_VVZ ,_PUN but_CJC one_PNI gets_VVZ the_AT0 sense_NN1 that_CJT if_CJS it_PNP did_VDD ,_PUN there_EX0 would_VM0 be_VBI consequences_NN2 ._SENT "_PUQ Passing_NN1 "_PUQ is_VBZ based_VVN on_PRP the_AT0 1929_CRD novel_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 same_DT0 name_NN1 by_PRP Nella_NP0 Larsen_NP0 ,_PUN and_CJC it_PNP 's_VBZ a_AT0 great_AJ0 advantage_NN1 that_CJT the_AT0 movie_NN1 's_POS source_NN1 is_VBZ in_PRP the_AT0 past_NN1 ._SENT If_CJS this_DT0 story_NN1 were_VBD attempted_VVN today_AV0 ,_PUN it_PNP would_VM0 be_VBI about_PRP a_AT0 social_AJ0 issue_NN1 ._SENT One_CRD woman_NN1 would_VM0 be_VBI presented_VVN as_CJS right_AJ0 ,_PUN and_CJC the_AT0 other_NN1 would_VM0 be_VBI wrong_AJ0 ._SENT There_EX0 would_VM0 be_VBI a_AT0 crucial_AJ0 realization_NN1 three-quarters_CRD in_PRP ,_PUN and_CJC then_AV0 a_AT0 moral_NN1 to_PRP the_AT0 story_NN1 spelled_VVD out_AVP before_PRP the_AT0 closing_AJ0 credits_NN2 ._SENT Instead_AV0 ,_PUN "_PUQ Passing_NN1 "_PUQ gets_VVZ at_PRP the_AT0 issues_NN2 of_PRF race_NN1 and_CJC identity_NN1 through_PRP a_AT0 story_NN1 of_PRF human_AJ0 ,_PUN complicated_AJ0 individuals_NN2 ._SENT If_CJS there_EX0 's_VBZ a_AT0 moral_AJ0 ,_PUN it_PNP 's_VBZ not_XX0 to_TO0 be_VBI received_VVN but_CJC gleaned_VVN ,_PUN and_CJC maybe_AV0 only_AV0 arrived_VVN at_PRP after_PRP a_AT0 post-movie_AJ0 discussion_NN1 ._SENT It_PNP 's_VBZ a_AT0 sophisticated_AJ0 piece_NN1 of_PRF work_NN1 ,_PUN slightly_AV0 haunted_VVN ,_PUN with_PRP an_AT0 underlying_AJ0 sorrow_NN1 that_CJT ca_VM0 n't_XX0 be_VBI resolved_VVN or_CJC remedied_VVN ._SENT Two_CRD women_NN2 run_VVN into_PRP each_DT0 other_NN1 in_PRP late-1920s_CRD Manhattan_NP0 ._SENT Irene_NP0 (_PUL Tessa_NP0 Thompson_NP0 )_PUR is_VBZ an_AT0 upper-middle-class_AJ0 wife_NN1 and_CJC mother_NN1 living_VVG in_PRP Harlem_NP0 with_PRP her_DPS Black_AJ0 husband_NN1 (_PUL André_NP0 Holland_NP0 )_PUR ._SENT Her_DPS childhood_NN1 friend_NN1 ,_PUN Clare_NP0 (_PUL Ruth_NP0 Negga_NP0 )_PUR ,_PUN whom_PNQ she_PNP does_VDZ n't_XX0 at_PRP first_ORD recognize_VVI ,_PUN has_VHZ bleached_VVN blond_AJ0 hair_NN1 and_CJC lives_VVZ her_DPS life_NN1 perceived_VVN as_CJS white_AJ0 ._SENT Her_DPS white_AJ0 husband_NN1 (_PUL Alexander_NP0 Skarsgård_NP0 )_PUR ,_PUN who_PNQ is_VBZ as_AV0 racist_AJ0 as_CJS he_PNP is_VBZ clueless_AJ0 ,_PUN has_VHZ no_AT0 idea_NN1 ._SENT In_PRP a_AT0 wonderfully_AV0 counterintuitive_AJ0 touch_NN1 ,_PUN it_PNP 's_VBZ Clare_NP0 who_PNQ most_AV0 wants_VVZ to_TO0 renew_VVI the_AT0 friendship_NN1 with_PRP Irene_NP0 and_CJC not_XX0 the_AT0 reverse_NN1 ,_PUN even_AV0 though_CJS any_DT0 connection_NN1 with_PRP the_AT0 past_NN1 is_VBZ a_AT0 potential_AJ0 threat_NN1 to_PRP Clare_NP0 's_POS present_NN1 ._SENT Negga_NP0 (_PUL "_PUQ Loving_AJ0 "_PUQ )_PUR makes_VVZ sense_NN1 of_PRF all_DT0 this_DT0 in_PRP a_AT0 radiant_AJ0 ,_PUN poignant_AJ0 performance_NN1 that_CJT conveys_VVZ a_AT0 jubilant_AJ0 ,_PUN effervescent_AJ0 spirit_NN1 stuck_VVN in_PRP a_AT0 double_AJ0 bind_NN1 ._SENT Clare_NP0 has_VHZ a_AT0 hunger_NN1 to_TO0 be_VBI in_PRP the_AT0 Harlem_NP0 community_NN1 like_PRP someone_PNI gasping_VVG for_PRP air_NN1 ._SENT She_PNP is_VBZ primarily_AV0 life-loving_AJ0 ,_PUN but_CJC her_DPS longing_NN1 gives_VVZ her_PNP a_AT0 wistful_AJ0 quality_NN1 ._SENT Clare_NP0 's_POS recklessness_NN1 is_VBZ contrasted_VVN with_PRP Irene_NP0 's_POS self-containment_NN1 ._SENT 
