| Director: | Carter Smith |
| Music: | Christopher Bear |
| Cinematography: | Lyn Moncrief |
| Editing: | Eric Nagy |
| Studio: | Blumhouse Television |
| Distributor: | MGM+ |
| Runtime: | 93 minutes[1] |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
The Passenger is a 2023 American thriller film directed by Carter Smith and written by Jack Stanley. The film stars Kyle Gallner and Johnny Berchtold. Jason Blum serves as an executive producer through his Blumhouse Television banner.[2] [3] The film was released digitally by MGM+ on August 4, 2023, to positive reviews.
Randolph "Randy" Bradley is a fast food worker in rural Louisiana who is slated to be promoted to manager yet is still bullied by coworkers Chris and Jess. Benson sees Randy being bullied and he attempts to intervene but is threatened by Chris, he then goes out to his car to retrieve a double-barreled shotgun and shoots all the workers in the building save for Randy. Randy reluctantly helps Benson clean the bloody scene and they place the bodies in the freezer.
The duo drive to a nearby diner, where Randy asks why Benson committed the shooting spree. Benson's response is to insult their waitress, saying that she hasn’t done anything remarkable in her life. Benson takes Randy to Benson's mother's house to give her some food and cigarettes. When Randy goes to get a phone for his mom, Benson pins him against the wall. They go back to Benson's car, where Benson says that he has to hurt Randy to make him learn and sets up a rule that he does only what is necessary for Randy.
They head to a mall to talk to Randy’s ex-girlfriend, Lisa. She explains that the reason for their breakup was because of Randy's apathy. Randy explains to Benson that he had been held back in second grade due to an incident with his teacher, Mrs. Beard, in which he flung an eraser into her eye after being angry, and how it ruined both their lives; Mrs. Beard suffered a permanent injury which resulted in her eye being removed and was mocked by students and faculty for her disfigurement, and Randy decided to isolate all of his feelings after the incident for fear of what his emotions can do to others.
Benson and Randy then go to the school where Mrs. Beard worked to get her home address. Benson recognizes the vice principal as he is leaving the office and interacts with him briefly to confirm his identity. Benson then follows the vice principal outside and viciously beats him, but Randy stops the beating because of the rule Benson set for Randy.
At Mrs. Beard's house, Randy learns that she does not blame him for the accident and that the direction in which her life went ultimately ended on a positive note. As their meeting comes to a close, Mrs. Beard receives a phone call from the elementary school and she is told about the vice principal's earlier beating. She mentions the assault to Randy and Benson before noticing the fresh wounds on Benson's knuckles. Benson then pulls a gun on Mrs. Beard, but Randy tells Benson not to kill her, at which point Benson takes Mrs. Beard hostage and plans on driving out of the city.
The three return to the diner from earlier and while in the restroom, Randy calls the police. They are confronted by the waitress from earlier. Still angered by Benson’s insult, she berates him until Benson shoots her in the leg. Randy tries to stop Benson, and they hear the sound of police sirens. Angered and terrified, Benson shoots Randy in the shoulder but quickly feels remorse. Accepting that his spree has come to an end, Benson reflects on his apathy and listlessness towards life having begun in his early years, then walks outside and commits suicide by cop. Sometime later, Randy plays with Mrs. Beard's daughter as she arrives home and he is finally happy, showing he has control over his own life.
In March 2022, The Passenger was announced as part of Blumhouse Television and Epix's TV movie deal, with Carter Smith directing with Jack Stanley writing the screenplay, with Kyle Gallner, Johnny Berchtold and Liza Weil starring in the film.[4] Principal photography on the film began in April 2022 in New Orleans.[5]
The Passenger was released digitally by MGM+ and Paramount Home Entertainment on August 4, 2023 and started streaming on MGM+ on October 6, 2023.[6]