You are here:

The Passengers of the Night

Name: The Passengers of the Night
Director: Mikhaël Hers
Released: 2022
Duration: 111 min

Representation Score

5.9/10

Fair

2022

Director

Mikhaël Hers

Runtime

111 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The film disrupts traditional domestic hierarchies by focusing on a woman's journey toward independence. Elisabeth's transition from a failing marriage to a professional career offers a nuanced look at female autonomy. However, the narrative appears somewhat insular, focusing heavily on a specific social stratum and family unit, which limits the breadth of racial and ethnic representation. Ultimately, the film captures a sense of social evolution, using a specific political moment to explore personal upheaval and its impact on social bonds.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The Passengers of the Night have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film examines the changing social norms in Paris in 1981, suggesting an openness to non-traditional lifestyles without explicitly naming specific queer identities.

How does The Passengers of the Night portray gender?

Good

Elisabeth is portrayed as a strong central figure who transitions from a domestic role to professional autonomy in late-night radio. The story highlights her ability to drive the narrative and her self-reliance, avoiding the cliché of the abandoned wife.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Passengers of the Night?

Fair

While the era suggests social flux, the film focuses mainly on the internal emotional landscape of a single family unit. There is little evidence of characters of color playing significant roles.

How does The Passengers of the Night represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative challenges traditional family structures by presenting unconventional living arrangements as journeys of discovery. It prioritizes social progress and shifting institutional norms over rigid Western family ideals.

Does The Passengers of the Night include disability representation?

Minimal

The current narrative does not include characters navigating physical, neurodivergent, or mental health disabilities.

Present on Screen

Highlights female independence and intellectual growth.
Explores non-traditional family structures and social norms.
Uses character-driven storytelling without heavy-handed messaging.

Limited or Absent

Limited racial and ethnic diversity within the cast.
No representation of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.
Risk of a homogeneous cast due to the narrow focus on a specific social stratum.

Official 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.

How are these scores produced? →