Passages

Year: 2023

Runtime: 91 min

Language: English

Director: Ira Sachs

Drama

A filmmaker named Tomas begins an intense affair with a schoolteacher, Agathe, disrupting his marriage to Martin. Driven by a desire for excitement, Tomas finds himself increasingly consumed by the relationship, diverting his attention from his work. This passionate entanglement forces him to examine the challenges of love, the instability of commitment, and the depths of his own desires.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Passages (2023) – Ending Explained & Final Scene Breakdown

Still thinking about how Passages (2023) ended? Here’s a full breakdown of the ending, key final moments, major twists, and the deeper meaning behind the film’s conclusion.

At the end of Passages, the complex web of relationships reaches a breaking point. Tomas, a vulnerable and self-absorbed director, has been manipulating those around him, craving attention and control. His affair with Agathe, a woman who entered his life after her breakup, initially seemed to be casual, but Tomas’s need for dominance turned it into something more obsessive. As the story unfolds, Tomas’s desire to be the center of attention becomes painfully evident. His interference in Martin’s relationship with Agathe and his constant intrusion into Martin’s life reveal his inability to accept losing control.

Martin, Tomas’s husband, is portrayed as more mature, trying to hold steady and analyze the situation. Yet, beneath his calm exterior, he is deeply hurt by Tomas’s betrayal. When Tomas announces that Agathe is pregnant, the underlying tensions explode. Tomas’s manipulation intensifies when he involves Martin in the chaos, even pretending that the three of them might make a family work, despite the clear imbalance. This culminates in Agathe’s decision to have an abortion after a night of emotional chaos at the cottage, as she recognizes the toxicity of the relationship and her own need to escape from Tomas’s destructive cycle.

In the final moments, the characters’ choices culminate in heartbreak. Martin, overwhelmed by betrayal, finally chooses to leave Tomas, refusing to go to Venice with him and seeking emotional reconciliation with Agathe. Tomas, on the other hand, is left lost in the streets, desperately searching for someone to listen to him or be there for him, too self-absorbed to see the pain he causes others. The ending leaves us with a stark reflection on self-destructive behavior, the need for genuine connection, and the pain of manipulative love. It shows how Tomas’s relentless pursuit of attention and control ultimately isolates him, leaving him alone, still searching for the validation he craves but unable to recognize that true fulfillment can’t be found in control or manipulation.

Last Updated: June 25, 2025 at 08:59

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Intense stories of passionate love triangles that unravel lives and leave devastation.If you liked the intense emotional turmoil of Passages, explore other movies about destructive affairs and volatile love triangles. These films delve into the painful fallout of infidelity, featuring characters whose passionate entanglements lead to commitment issues, self-destruction, and heavy emotional consequences.

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The narrative pattern centers on a protagonist, often an artist or creative type, whose narcissistic or impulsive tendencies drive the plot. The story unfolds in a tight, often linear fashion, focusing on their increasingly poor choices and the shrinking circle of their relationships. The arc is one of inevitable decline, ending with the character facing the stark consequences of their behavior alone.

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Passages Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Passages

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