PASSION

BY CHRISTOPHER HASKELL
SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

Never capitalizing on its strong, power-driven leads, Brian De Palma’s “Passion” is anything but passionate. Remaining surface level for its entire run-time, not only can the film not hold a tone but often falls into a parody of itself. Part office thriller, part crime drama, part halfhearted expose on sexuality, De Palma fails ever actually to come up with a point. As Christine (Rachel McAdams) and Isabelle (Noomi Rapace) jockey for power within their company, they get close to one another and then push each other away. However, the film rarely focuses long enough for the audience to care or even grasp the motives for the characters.

At times convoluting the story with unnecessary plot points, it’s a surprise that the film never caves in on itself. By the time the movie ends, we’re miles away from where we started with no idea how or why we got there. Based on the 2010 film “Love Crime,” directed by Alain Corneau, I’d be interested to see whether that does a better job portraying its plot. How does a film starring such gorgeous and talented actresses like McAdams and Rapace drop the ball so hard? Especially from a director with such a prolific directing history. I will never know, but “Passion” fails to live up to the bar set by classics like “Scarface” and “The Untouchables” and even fails to live up to anything remotely resembling a thriller.