The Passengers of the Night

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The Passengers of the Night

2023

1h 51m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

90%

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31 Reviews

67%

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

On election night in 1981, celebrations spill out onto the street and there is an air of hope and change throughout Paris. But for Elisabeth, her marriage is coming to an end and she will now have to support herself and her two teenage children. She finds work at a late-night radio show and encounters a troubled teenager named Talulah whom she invites into her home. With them, Talulah experiences the warmth of a family for the first time. Although she suddenly disappears, her free spirit has a lasting influence. Elisabeth and her children grow in confidence and begin to take risks, changing the trajectory of their lives.

Critics Consensus

A mosaic of melancholic vignettes, The Passengers of the Night prioritizes journey over destination to help us find beauty in the mundane, strength in fragility, and emotional truth in the understated.

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Sergio Burstein

Los Angeles Times

10/05/2023

A French film that, without being impeccable, has some absolutely successful moments and can be appreciated without being exposed to shocks despite it not always dealing with pleasant topics. [Full review in Spanish]

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Robert Abele

Los Angeles Times

07/06/2023

It’s an unapologetically soft ride in the slice-of-life sweepstakes, flecked with era-specific archival footage as connective tissue, but with a sneaky, gathering poignancy that prioritizes the journey over story payoffs.

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Christy Lemire

RogerEbert.com

06/30/2023

3/4

Seeing [Gainsbourg's character] find her voice within this realm—literally and metaphorically—is an understated delight.

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Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

08/23/2024

It’s a warm-hearted piece with cumulative punch much accentuated by a soundtrack full of vintage Europop hits you may have forgotten, but will be glad to hear again.

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Erick Estrada

Cinegarage

03/14/2024

Modest, centered, tempered. The film finds the perfect tone to tell these stories that are almost non-stories. [Full review in Spanish]

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Stephanie Bunbury

Deadline Hollywood Daily

09/19/2023

As always, Gainsbourg has a warmth and winsomeness that fills out Elisabeth’s flat character, giving it shape, charm and humanity.

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Martona T

@RT52717972 11/10/2024

Beautifully shot story where many frames are melancholic pictures of Paris to retain. However, the characters feel slightly too unrealistic, as they all tend to be presented with just one dominating character trait.

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Marc J

@Marcel47 09/06/2024

A poignant film, Passengers of the Night’s story deals with the uncertainty of life, in all its turns, the swings from a sense of being to no value other than others to being supported and loved by each other, the product of tenderness. The graphic art direction spells out the theme via the blinking lights (subway map, apartment windows, etc)l and the modular shapes winding in different directions like a person’s life. The cinematography is metaphorical/symbolic. I’d recommend this movie, but I don’t think it is an obvious piece of storytelling…not everyone’s cup of tea…closer to being an art film.

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Mikhael Hers

Director

Charlotte Gainsbourg

Elisabeth Davies

Quito Rayon Richter

Mathias Davies

Noée Abita

Talulah

Megan Northam

Judith Davies

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Synopsis

On election night in 1981, celebrations spill out onto the street and there is an air of hope and change throughout Paris. But for Elisabeth, her marriage is coming to an end and she will now have to support herself and her two teenage children. She finds work at a late-night radio show and encounters a troubled teenager named Talulah whom she invites into her home. With them, Talulah experiences the warmth of a family for the first time. Although she suddenly disappears, her free spirit has a lasting influence. Elisabeth and her children grow in confidence and begin to take risks, changing the trajectory of their lives.

Director: Mikhael Hers
Producer: Pierre Guyard
Screenwriter: Maud Ameline, Mariette Désert, Mikhael Hers
Distributor: KimStim
Production Co: arte France Cinéma, Nord-Ouest Films
Genre: Drama
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 30, 2023, Limited
Runtime: 1h 51m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)