Passing Strange The Movie

2009

2 hr. 16 min.

Musical

List

100%

25 Reviews

Tomatometer

90%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

Spike Lee's adaptation of the Broadway show "Passing Strange" presents the portrait of a musician as a young man. In 1970s Los Angeles, a talented but rebellious middle-class African-American discovers punk rock. Through the intervention of a sincere choir director, the young man travels to Europe, where his talents blossom, but at the expense of those who care for him. The film is based on the life of musician Stew, who appears as narrator and commentator on his younger, rasher self.

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Critics Consensus

Spike Lee's document of the Tony Award-winning musical Passing Strange is every bit as compelling onscreen as it was on stage.

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Audience Member

Un musical de Mark Stewart "Stew" grabado por Spike Lee, profundo, emocional y con humor. Una gran película sobre la poco narrada emigración afroestadounidense hacia Europa, que en este caso es todo un viaje iniciático.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Absolutely Brilliant. I adore this play/movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

My rule for personal movie ratings is that a five-star rating is reserved for movies I will watch over and over. If someone suggests it, I'm in. If I'm flipping channels, I'll stop. (eg. The Graduate, The Odd Couple, Goodfellas, Silence of the Lambs, etc...) This movie somehow earned that rating the first time I watched it. Within 20 minutes I thought this would make my "favorites" list and that feeling did not change throughout. I started it over as soon as it finished. Edit: It's been a few weeks and I just watched this (for the third time) and it was better than I remembered.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Thank goodness Spike Lee preserved the original run of this show for posterity. One of the great modern musicals, a touchstone for the 2000s in the same way Rent was for the 1990s.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I may be bias, but this is probably one of the best Musicals ever to be on Broadway and I'm so happy it's been preserved on film. This movie ain't no passing phase.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Stew has a great story to tell and he tells it damn well.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

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Spike Lee

Director

Stew

Narrator

De'Adre Aziza

Edwina

Daniel Breaker

Youth

Eisa Davis

Mother

Colman Domingo

Mr.Franklin

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Dwight Brown

National Newspaper Publishers Association

Hugely entertaining, poignant, funny and thoughtful.

Nov 8, 2016

Full Review

Stephen Garrett

Time Out

Rated: 4/5

Nov 17, 2011

Full Review

Noel Murray

AV Club

Lee doesn't reinvent the wheel when it comes to filming live theater, but he moves the camera artfully and edits with an energy that matches the music. And he makes good use of close-ups, capturing the sweaty faces of a troupe of remarkable performers.

Rated: A-

Oct 2, 2009

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Seanax.com

It's a joyous production; the music is alive and dynamic, the skits are clever and funny and self-effacing and the show crackles with energy...

Jan 13, 2010

Full Review

Louis Proyect

rec.arts.movies.reviews

Interesting that one of the best movies of the year is a filming of a play. That's a sad commentary on Hollywood but sufficient reason to see this uplifting and very witty movie.

Dec 7, 2009

Full Review

Ron Wilkinson

Monsters and Critics

Although more of a stage play than a film this performance has great acting and great music combined with a heart felt message.

Rated: 7/10

Sep 10, 2009

Full Review

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Synopsis

Spike Lee's adaptation of the Broadway show "Passing Strange" presents the portrait of a musician as a young man. In 1970s Los Angeles, a talented but rebellious middle-class African-American discovers punk rock. Through the intervention of a sincere choir director, the young man travels to Europe, where his talents blossom, but at the expense of those who care for him. The film is based on the life of musician Stew, who appears as narrator and commentator on his younger, rasher self.

Director: Spike Lee
Production Co: 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks
Genre: Musical
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 9, 2016

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