Here we have the perfect example of a film that would make an exceptional short: Cannes selection, Block Pass. This often puzzling queer drama excels in acting and direction, yet lacks a cohesive vision from a script level. Why are we still reveling in queer torment and tragedy? Maybe it has simply been awhile since we have gotten one of these, but I felt like we have evolved well beyond the scope of this film’s reach. A French motocross championship tees up a tidy case of gay coming-of-age exploration, yet around every bend, cliche follows. After taking a hard left turn in the second act, Block Pass misses the mark by failing to do anything unique with its premise.
Even though his father could honestly care less, Jojo (Amaury Foucher) appears primed as the next great motocross champion. The road to stardom is a difficult one; when his close friend, Willy (Sayyid El Alami), catches Jojo in the midst of a sexual tryst with another man, Jojo’s sexual identity threatens to ruin everything he holds dear. While it may seem that Block Pass would be more interesting to focus solely on Jojo’s experiences, Willy instead becomes the main character. A dissection of almost any other character would be more interesting than Willy. While Sayyid El Alami excels in the role, as written, Willy does not have the emotional complexity of Jojo, nor a story all that comprehensive.
Jojo on the other hand, as is his rising star in the motocross world, steals the show. I longed to learn more about his personal journey. We are only able to briefly glimpse his troubles at length. When Willy flirtatiously asks Jojo for more details about being gay, Jojo almost brushes it aside. He has feelings for someone already, with an inkling they could evolve into something more. By dodging a central romance between these two friends, Block Pass walks a shaky tightrope. A decent portion of the audience will probably want them together, whilst the rest will long for more time to spend with Jojo. Alas, neither of these shall come to pass.
Instead, Block Pass works its way to a predictable, nothingburger of an ending that does not resolve nearly enough of the various dangling threads. Disney’s Motocrossed this is not. If taken a little less seriously and with further breathing room to establish characterization, writer/director Antoine Chevrollier and his co-writers Faïza Guène and Bérénice Bocquillon would have a sweet semi-sports movie on their hands. This is a road not frequently travelled as far as that genre is concerned. As is, despite crackling chemistry between Jojo and his straight friend Willy, Block Pass may as well be named Cock Block for the lengths it goes to prevent happiness from ever arriving.
Block Pass screened at 2024’s Cannes International Film Festival.
