Submission

Despite strong performances and good direction this film fizzles out and leaves you disappointed with too many unanswered questions.

1. The portrayal of the post secondary "academic community" (in quotes for a reason) was so stereotypically artificial from the parties to the discourse to the mannerisms that it provoked me to write this wearing tweed; smoking a pipe & drinking from my Bordeaux glass or is it a Burgundy glass? 2. The abrasive part of the teaching style was simply made up as were the constant "air quotes". 3. Some viewers condemned the prof for taking advantage - get human & real! 4. The family turmoil from an affair, and the spurious academic committee review seemed too "made-up". 5. Ending had a cheap cute cleverness that fit w/the rest of the movie.

It could have had more layers and it left me feeling disappointed that opportunities to do so were not taken. In the end, it lacked intensity and ended up being just a cliche story with no surprises.

Jtncsmistad provided a great review. Please do take a look at it.

To add my thoughts I am a fan of Tucci, Sedgwick, and Garofalo. The first half of the movie held my interest and I thought they all gave great performances but the second half of the movie unfortunately was very predictable. I don't mind predictable with an interesting story but in this case even great acting did not save the story.

Worth a watch and definitely watch if you are a teacher.

The lines between a semi-successful, middle-aged novelist/professor and his student are crossed: lines of deceit, intimacy and manipulation. It's a #metoo movement highlighter with the good ol' cliche storyline of a student/teacher relationship and touches on the depths that some will go for success. "Submission" is a slow roller coaster ride of emotions and mild surprises. There is no drop and no climax so if a slow ride is what you desire, press play.