With his latest feature, Matthew Bissonnette breathes new life into genres while gently dismantling them. It begins when ex-junkie Tobey (Joel Bissonnette) unexpectedly asks his writer brother Michael (Adam Scott) to drive him around Los Angeles in search of something – though what isn’t exactly clear. As they traverse the city, they bump into various characters and situations that place them in a variety of compromising positions. Sharply written and performed, and propelled by a great indie-rock soundtrack, Passenger Side is ultimately a very moving film about the unique bond between brothers.– Matthew Hays
Best Canadian Film, Edmonton Film Festival * London Film Festival * Los Angeles Film Festival * Toronto International Film Festival *
Panel Statement Passenger Side is a sly road trip film from Montreal-born director Matthew Bissonnette. The car doesn’t go far, but the trip itself is ingeniously convoluted. The film is an examination of the fraught relationship between two brothers, and between them and the world – which is partly an examination of what it means to be Canadian in Los Angeles – that is authentically and amusingly caustic. Then Passenger Side turns a corner and we must re-examine everything we have seen: it’s been a romantic mystery all along, a low-budget tragedy in comic clothing. And what could be more Canadian than that?– Jay Stone