Time: 97 Minutes
Age Rating: R16
Cast:
Rachel McAdams as Christine Stanford
Noomi Rapace as Isabelle James
Karoline Herfurth as Dani
Paul Anderson as Dirk Harriman
Director: Brian De Palma

The main reason I wanted to watch Passion was that Brian De Palma directed it, even if it isn’t really regarded as one of his best movies by any means. I can somewhat understand the mixed reactions, but I still had some fun with it.

Passion is basically Brian De Palma making a modern erotic thriller. While the plot can be a bit convoluted, it’s cheesy, full of melodrama and embraces the trashiness in the best ways possible – or at least that’s how I interpreted it. The strange and off kilter tone seemed intentional to me. You don’t root for any of the characters, not even the leads, but it is entertaining watching their back and forth. Halfway through the movie shifts gears and becomes more vintage De Palma with a lot of twists and turns, and doubles down on the absurdity.

Noomi Rapace and Rachel McAdams are great in the lead roles. Their acting does feel a little off at times, but really fits the strange tone quite well, and share good chemistry together.

Brian De Palma goes all out with his stylish direction here; the cinematography is stunning and the editing is great, the highlight being a split screen sequence at one point. There are even some giallo influences that can be seen towards the end of the movie.

Passion is a ridiculous and melodramatic, but entertaining thriller, helped by the performances and Brian de Palma’s stylistic direction. Not one of his best, but enjoyable nonetheless.