While helping a handful of plane crash survivors cope with their grief, young psychologist Claire Summers (2008 Best Actress, Oscar® nominee Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married) begins to uncover conflicting account... more »s of the accident. At first, Claire believes that trauma is behind her patients' wildly different stories - until the survivors mysteriously begin disappearing one by one. Now Eric (Patrick Wilson, Lakeview Terrace), a surviving passenger she has grown dangerously close to, may hold the key to unlocking the truth about the tragic incident in this shocking psychological thriller.« less
Claire’s assignment involves holding group counselling sessions with half dozen or so survivors. As the sessions take place over time, fewer and fewer participants show up. Eric, who has refused to be treated as a patient from the beginning, uses his personal meetings with Claire to pursue a more intimate relationship. He challenges her to do things she wouldn’t normally do. She, being conservative, has avoided taking risks in her life. But he has her riding behind him on a motorcycle, taking a boat out to sea, and climbing up the side (fire escape) of a tall building. She gains more and more confidence in herself as she survives each experience.
Arkin (David Morse) as an employee of the fatal airline, appears to be participating in an airline cover-up by insisting the cause was pilot error in spite of several survivors attesting to an explosion of an engine. And he continues to appear now and then, attempting to convince Claire that she and the survivors cannot be trusted to be accurate. Claire asks her boss Perry (Andre Braugher as a father figure) for help. He attempts to quiet her fears. She tells him that survivors are no longer showing up to the group sessions, and he reminds her that this is normal behavior. At the same time, Claire is being subtly guided by Toni (Dianne Wiest as a mother figure), who apparently lives next-door, and keeps appearing from time-to-time with helpful observations revealing she knows more about Claire than you’d expect from a neighbor.
The movie is too good to ruin it for the numerous observers reading this review to include spoilers. So let’s just say the movie develops some moving twists and turns toward the end. And even though I’ve been “spoiled,” I will watch it again in the future.
Jennifer D. (jennicat) from ST AUGUSTINE, FL Reviewed on 4/11/2014...
I loved this movie. I don't like to spoil so I will just say I like a little romance with my mystery.
1 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Leah G. (Leahbelle) from NIPOMO, CA Reviewed on 11/24/2013...
This movie was strange and mysterious in a weird sort of way, with a very surprising twist at the end which causes all of the puzzling pieces to fall into place. The acting is superb.
2 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Robbi C. (silverscreensilent22) from WEBSTER GRVS, MO Reviewed on 4/9/2011...
Really, really liked this: a ghost story that doesn't hit you over the head with hard-core horror and gore. Movie well done, with good performances all around and a twist ending.
3 of 6 member(s) found this review helpful.
Suzanne B. Reviewed on 6/13/2009...
Very good -- surprise twist
1 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Consuelo Q. from WILKES BARRE, PA Reviewed on 4/21/2009...
This movie is very slow to get to the point. There is no action like the previews denote, and the climax is short and anticlimactic.
0 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Movie Reviews
First class and very moving!
Jason Briggs | London, United Kingdom | 04/25/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Have to completely disagree with the put-down reviews below. This was an excellent and moving film with a very strong performance from Anne Hathaway inparticular. Be careful what you read below - one reviewer gives away the whole plot (why people do this in reviews I'll never know...). The film does leave you wondering what is really going on and it is NOT predictable. People tend to say this AFTER they have seen a film, I notice! Anyway, if you like any of Anne Hathaway's work, you will like this - and if you don't, then try this one out - you may be pleasantly surprised. Anne Hathaway has perhaps fallen into the same trap as many other excellent actresses in that she is type-cast over and over in fairly 'blah' roles (eg in films such Ella Enchanted, Bride Wars or Devil Wears Prada), roles which do not allow her to display her acting talents to their fullest. Passengers fortunately, is a film that does let us see what Anne is capable of and hopefully she will do other films of a more serious nature in the future, as she can most certainly carry them.
As an aside, Sandra Bullock comes to mind as someone who was (is?) in a similar postion to Anne. I have always felt that she has remarkable acting talent and it is only in recent years that I have really seen it coming out in her films, Premonition being a fine example (and the Lakehouse - though to a much lesser degree).
addendum - having watched Passengers about 3 times now, I would most certainly bump it up to 5 stars and also recommend the extremely moving soundtrack. This film is of a much, much deeper nature than it may first appear and is one of those few films that I can say has 'touched' me inside. I feel this is due to a combination of the film's subject matter, the score and Anne Hathaway's very powerful performance."
Incredibly Uncanny Film; Will Blow You Away in Entirety
Joel Ramnaraine | Orlando FL, USA | 05/17/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"EDIT: I just finished watching "Lost." The movie is basically a replica of the show. It's still a good movie but not as "original" as I though.
I was sitting in my college dorm, browsing Netflix, looking for a good movie to stream. I'd never heard of "Passengers," and was pretty hesitant to watch it. I was expecting your typical "airplane crash" mystery flic and for a while it seemed to be moving in that direction. Soon enough however, I found myself in a lost state, unsure of what was happening--the pieces were there but something just wasn't "right." For the intellectual kind, this movie will keep your brain going--not hard to understand at all but incredibly intriguing. The surprise ending literally left me is a special kind of shock that I can most definitely appreciate.
Typically I'd get into detail about camera angles and soundtrack score--elements which were all greatly constructed and implemented in this film--but I am in genuine and sincere awe of the storyline and overall concept of the film. After reading the previous reviews, I guess it may not be for the typical moviegoer but if you give it a chance you'll certainly develop a GREAT appreciation for it. The film, however, was amazing at keeping my attention and interest.
I think I have a new favorite... you might too."
Love look at the two of us
bernie | Arlington, Texas | 03/16/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The film starts with a crash but is seems quite slow paced. Mr. Perry (t Andre Braugher) thinks that it is time for a therapist Claire summers (Anne Hathaway) to do something practical so she is assigned to help the passengers of the recent plane crash. The passenger's accounts of the plane crash vary greatly and soon the passengers seem to be disappearing or at least not coming to the sessions. It appears that the airline is covering something up and everybody is in on it. Is Claire paranoid to the point where she cannot function properly?
With the creepy mystique and the slow pace and mysterious people, our minds are racing ahead. We remember all of the conspiracy movies spooky movies and just downright movies of all kinds in the twists. Okay which one is this one going to be? Now who is paranoid?
It is best to let the movie unfold into with the flow and you may find that you enjoy it and with all movies that have a mystery about them you will want to re-watch this to see what you missed.
One suspicious character is Airline representative Arkin played by David Morse. See him again in "Contact" (1997).
I only saw the Blu-ray so I cannot compare to other versions but be sure to also listen to the voice over commentary by Rodrigo Garcia - Director and Patrick Wilson who plays Eric.
Contact [Blu-ray]
"
A good film with an ending that will shock you
Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 03/08/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Passengers may not be the most memorable or original film I've ever seen; but it's actually rather well done and I liked the convincing acting of both Anne Hathaway and Patrick Wilson in their roles as the main characters. The cinematography and the choreography work wonders for the film; and the casting was very well done. The action flows along at a good pace although the script and the footage could have been edited down a few minutes to make the action tighter and the film a better one.
When the film starts, we meet a young psychologist named Claire (Anne Hathaway) who takes on the responsibility for running group therapy for the handful of survivors of a horrific plane crash. Her boss, Perry (Andre Braugher) believes it would be a good assignment for Claire to get her "out of (her) comfort zone." Claire must help them talk about their grief and pain to get over their post traumatic stress and "find out the truth."
Once the group starts, Claire meets the survivors and the group includes Norman (Don Thompson), Shannon (Clea DuVall) and Dean (Ryan Robbins). However, members of the group start to miss therapy sessions; and Claire slowly begins to believe that they are missing persons and not merely dropping out of therapy. Claire and other people in the group are also uncomfortable when they notice a stranger staring in from the outside at the group; and Claire's relationship with the airline representative Arkin (David Morse) is not exactly going well as he is clearly holding things back from her, possibly to avoid the airline being held liable for the accident.
In addition, one more survivor, Eric (Patrick Wilson), gives Claire a surprise when he comes off as rather happy and upbeat about life despite the terrible crash he just experienced. As the rest of the action occurs, Claire gradually finds herself falling for Eric and this muddles things for her both professionally and personally. She also has a well-meaning but rather nosy neighbor, Toni (Dianne Wiest).
Of course the plot can go in several different directions but suffice to say I never anticipated the way the film ended. Talk about a surprise! It's one of the best things about the film.
The DVD comes with a few deleted scenes and there's an optional running commentary with director Rodrigo Garcia and Patrick Wilson. We also get the featurettes entitled "Analysis of the Plane Crash" and "The Manifest & Making of Passengers."
I recommend this film for fans of the actors in it; and people who enjoy thriller dramas with mystery and even some romance will enjoy this film."
Concentrate on the Title
Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 03/03/2010
(3 out of 5 stars)
"On the surface PASSENGERS is the story about airplane crash following which the airline hires a psychologist Dr Claire Summers (Anne Hathaway) to hold group therapy sessions for those PTSD survivors. The group is strange, not so much for the crash but more for the lives they've lived leading up to the crash - or so Claire believes. Claire is particularly drawn to Eric (Patrick Wilson) who seems somehow above the emotional trauma and indeed begins to 'court' Claire with requests for house calls, incidents that lead to a romance. Gradually the survivors in Claire's therapy group disappear and Claire is made suspicious of the cause of the accident, a fact that disturbs the airline person Arkin (David Morse). Eric's strange behavior as well as the appearance of the odd character Toni (Dianne Wiest) and the counsel from Claire's colleague Perry (Andre Braugher) begin to unravel a mystery that is finally made clear in the closing moments of the film. To say more would be to spoil the ending.
PASSENGERS is not a great movie but it is a fairly good and well-acted suspense/romance drama. The cast is solid but the direction by Rodrigo García of the Swiss cheese script by Ronnie Christensen is shaky: the premise is good but the getting there is full of potholes and road kill. Nevertheless it is a good little diversion of a film for a rainy night. And the actors do their very best to make it better than it is. The pleasure comes after the ending is revealed and sets up the audience for some serious introspection. Grady Harp, March 10"