Indignation

What can I say? This movie started out like a seemingly carefree experience about college life in the repressed early 1950s. Somewhere along the line, it does a complete about face and becomes an extremely serious take on pre-material sex, interfaith romance,the belief or lack of in God, the misfortunes of war and destiny. The performances were all outstanding and captured the morals and the social structure of the early 1950s. At times, some scenes were a bit long and slightly dull, but this reflects on the concept of this film....life can be dull and boring until one opens up their being to new experiences. Wuthout giving the ending away, it is a surprise and extremely depressing. I like happy endings and unfortunately, this film ending ranks as one of the most depressing in film history. Still, if you love great acting, see this film. 10 out of 10.

James Schamus adapted Philip Roth's novel INDIGNATION for the screen and directed it: the result is a slice out of the past with all the innuendos and social commentary and Americana of the 1950s intact. The film retains the flavor of Roth's writing who is said to have stated 'This will come as a great shock to young people, but in 1951 you could make it through college unscathed by oral sex.' That is but one island of realism that this film addresses and when coupled with all the myriad instances of living life in college in the time of the Korean war, the result is a firm reminder of the Edward R. Morrow television series 'You Are There'.

Set in 1951, the story follows academically gifted Marcus Messner (a brilliant Logan Lerman), the idealistic son of a humble kosher butcher Max (Danny Burstein) from Newark, N.J. Marcus leaves for Ohio to study at Winesburg, a small, conservative college, where he finds himself at odds with the administration's Dean (Tracy Letts), grapples with anti-Semitism and sexual repression and pines after the beautiful but troubled girl Olivia Hutton (Sarah Gadon). Marcus separates from his assigned fellow Jewish roommates, declines an invitation to be in a Jewish fraternity, has a sensitive confrontation with the school Dean over Marcus' atheism and his loathing mandatory attendance in chapel. He finally has a date with Olivia who surprises the virgin Marcus with a car seat fellatio and that act sets into motion the cultural disaffection not only at college but also with his parents: his mother (Linda Emond) visits Markus in Ohio, meets Olivia, and shares with Markus that she loathes husband Max and is in the process of divorce. Markus' humanity shines through and he persuades his mother to not divorce, an agreement reached only if Markus will never see Olivia again.

The actors assembled are all accomplished and find that core of Philip Roth's view of the world so sensitively that this is far above being just a period piece. The musical score by Jay Wadley adds flavor of the times. The ending of the film is gut wrenching on many levels and to say more would spoil the film. This is a fine adaptation of Philip Roth's style. It is immensely successful.

It's so good to watch a movie where the dialog is outstanding - funny heartbreaking, frustrating and meaningful. Really listen to the dialog. There are some scenes which are just so outstanding - the first meeting in the dean' office and then when the mother talks to her son about his father and then his girlfriend. The characters are not stereotypical. The Jewish protective father instead of mother is an interesting thing to watch. Although the issues are 50s issues, this is not an old fashioned or irrelevant movie. The acting is so good I only thought about the themes and message of the story later on.

Logan Lerman's sensitive face is just right for this role. The character could seem stubborn and annoying if another actor had played him, but Logan has a likability that overcomes that. Sarah Gadon as the girl he loves is fascinating to watch as the well mannered but damaged beauty. An unforgettable character. Tracy Letts as the dean plays it just right - not a caricature of conservatism but another fascinating creature to watch. Linda Emond is restrained and effective as the worried mother.

This is a serious movie with some unexpected humor in between. A must watch - one of the best dramas in recent years.

I was on the road researching a book on Texas barbecue when I read Philip Roth's novel, Indignation. I had managed to shelve it away in my brain until I saw a movie of the same title playing at a second-run movie house near me. Could it be? Yes, it was the same story. Better than it, the sleek yet powerful prose made its way onto the screen with its integrity intact. And you know what? A crowd of about 30 of us sat rapt for 110 minutes. Nobody talked until the credits rolled, but everybody laughed at the appropriate moments and there were even a few well-placed gasps of surprise. A good story, an intelligent script and a fine cast will work that magic. Give yourself an evening to find out.

The cast is so perfect that I have to single out one performer as an example of the great work provided by all. Danny Burstein plays a father so proud of his own son and so worried by his son's future in an uncertain world marked by war that he seems to be descending into madness. The actor is harrowing to watch because you can feel all the love that burns inside of him and that he just can't bring himself to express properly. Maybe it would not be manly or maybe he doesn't know the right words or maybe he just doesn't think he needs to say anything directly. Yet we can feel his every fear, his mixture of hope and despair, his pride, his love, his frustration. Wow.

LJ'S QUICK MOVIE REVIEW "Indignation", set in 1951, follows the story of Marcus (Logan Lerman) and his struggles with love and religion. Although his parents Jewish, Marcus is an atheist and often is at odds with his family, school, and community. However, when he meets another student named Olivia Hutton (Sarah Gadon), everything changes. The movie does an excellent job of portraying the challenging ethical and romantic complications Marcus has to face in his daily life. His character is extremely well- developed and well-written as he has moments of self-doubt, self-discovery, and emotional conflict. Although the movie does have moments of humor, its general tone is somber. Overall, the riveting movie's simple premise is elevated by the great chemistry between the leading actors and the immersing quality of the filmography. As Marcus tries to discover who he wants to be in life, we get a chance to reflect on who we are as well. At its heart, the movie is a captivating journey that explores its protagonist's identity and goals in a heartfelt way. LJ's Grade: B