Matthew Bissonnette's latest film is difficult to describe. But that's a good thing, as the writer-director breathes new life into genres while gently dismantling them. It all starts when ex-junkie Tobey (Joel Bissonnette, the director's brother) asks his brother Michael (Adam Scott) to drive him about Los Angeles in search of something – though what they are seeking isn't initially clear.
As they drive around, they bump into various characters and situations that place them in compromising positions. They stop at a house where a porn movie is being shot, but soon leave when it becomes obvious they are unwelcome. They rescue a stray dog and help out a Mexican labourer who has severely cut his hand, racing him to the hospital. They pick up a drunken, distressed hitchhiker who begins to praise George W. Bush for “not being a fag” about the Iraq invasion. There's even a brush with a nymphomaniac transgendered sex worker.
But while Passenger Side is an occasionally hilarious road movie, it's also the story of two brothers who have clearly had a strained relationship. Their conversation meanders from topic to topic, from a forgotten birthday to the sex appeal of Dick Cheney, and they share stories of drug abuse, broken romances and unfulfilled dreams. Joel Bissonnette delivers a tremendous performance as a recovering addict, subtly revealing the scars that come with his illness. And Scott achieves an understated but equally strong turn as the hipster writer, never quite satisfied with what life has handed him.
Matthew Bissonnette's screenplay is refreshing because he seems so keenly aware of the screenwriting rulebook – and so eager to turn it inside out. Evoking the work of Douglas Coupland, Passenger Side manages to go great distances despite being set entirely in Los Angeles and within a time frame of twenty-four hours. Confronting the strange, unpredictable randomness of life, Bissonnette makes us feel like we're engaged in several films at once. Alternately silly and existential, and propelled by a great indie-rock soundtrack, Passenger Side is ultimately a moving film about the unique bond that exists between brothers.
Matthew Hays
Matthew Bissonnette was born in Montreal and studied English and film at Concordia University. His first novel,
Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock, was published in 2008. He has written and directed the films
Looking for Leonard (02),
Who Loves the Sun (06) and
Passenger Side (09).