Indignation
Indignation
R | 29 July 2016 (USA)
Indignation Trailers

In 1951, Marcus Messner, a working-class Jewish student from New Jersey, attends a small Ohio college, where he struggles with anti-Semitism, sexual repression, and the ongoing Korean War.

Reviews
Jeanskynebu the audience applauded
CommentsXp Best movie ever!
KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.
Juana what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.
Ed-from-HI The 2016 film version of Philip Roth's novel "Indignation" feels genuine with a high-degree of realism in regards to both emotionally resonant acting and dialog that perfectly captures the zeitgeist of post-WWII early 1950's. Showcasing the burgeoning time period when bright & ambitious college students just began to question social-mores, testing restrictive boundaries on personal freedoms established by long-standing arbiters of authority.**Spoiler Alert** Focusing on the trials & tribulations of the intensely-bright & ambitious (though somewhat naive) 'Marcus Messner' (with expert portrayal by Logan Lerman) adjusting to student-life at the rural-provincial Mid-western college called 'Winesburg' in Ohio.  Marcus' family is Jewish with father being a Kosher butcher in Newark, New Jersey. But Marcus views himself as an uncompromising 'rationalist' who doesn't allow religious-strictures to hold him back from wide-ranging (and free-thinking) academic goals.  His intellectual-hero is not surprisingly the renowned British mathematician-philosopher Bertrand Russell.One contradictory aspect to Marcus' character is that even though apparently eschewing his family's Jewish religion, Marcus lives by uncompromisingly stringent ethical-standards acutely aware of even the slightest perceived hypocritical musings or thoughtless actions witnessed in the views of the people around him. Marcus' uncompromising World-view sets-the-stage for a stimulating intellectual battle of wills with the college Dean Caudwell (intensely portrayed by Tracy Letts).At first, Dean Caudwell appears genuinely concerned that Marcus is not readily conforming to college-life at Winesburg , with Marcus storming-out of his shared dorm room and subsequently  living in isolation. This dramatic but intensely-realistic conversation matches wits of Marcus' rebellious rational-humanism against Dean's emphasis on family, faith and moral-fortitude along with an emphasis on properly 'fitting-in' (Dean is also perplexed that Marcus does not find identity, solace and strong sense of 'bonding' within his culturally-rich Jewish heritage).  The scene is endlessly fascinating (and relevant) as neither Marcus nor Dean Caudwell can make the slightest dent in the other's sense of moral certitude, constantly talking miles past each other.  There is also the mysterious Love-tangle whereby inexperienced/innocent Marcus is emotionally overpowered by the delicately-beautiful (but perhaps bit unstable) 'Olivia Hutton' (immaculately portrayed by Sarah Gadon). Initially, Marcus cannot fathom how Olivia seems to have taken an intense liking to him, even granting an unexpected/ unrequested 'favor' on their very first date that makes Marcus' head spin, requiring a bit of time for Marcus to fully comprehend what actually happened that first night. Backing away from Olivia for awhile, Marcus feels those irresistible magnetic-forces relentlessly pulling on his heartstrings in short-order.  There is much more to Olivia Hutton than meets the eye of course, embodying a fragile emotional complexity that is far beyond anyone's comprehension.Foreshadowing everything else in Philip Roth's historically-resonant narrative inherent to "Indignation" i.e. the foreboding sense that even the most rational-Logical and well-intentioned human-being can never escape the clutches of Fate and unsympathetic circumstance.  Even Marcus' abundant capacity for 'mind-over-matter' problem-solving (along with his sincere intentions) cannot guarantee that everything will 'work-out' in the End --- and in fact, the immutable circumstances of 'history' (and especially the 'wages of War') seem to have pre-ordained Marcus' tragic fate."Indignation" flawlessly directed by James Schamus and brilliantly acted by Logan Lerman, Tracy Letts and Sarah Gadon superlatively rises to the occasion and presents a realistic and heartrending cinematic 'time & place' that perfectly captures Philip Roth's intriguing + insightful narrative ruminating upon the era in America when attitudes (and philosophical outlooks) really began to break-free of age-old acceptances, even shedding light on the beginnings of some of our Country's current deep-rooted political & cultural divisions (and immutable historical circumstance).
ChenWen I haven't read the original work,but I can feel that Bertram is a homo and crushing one Marcus1.Ignore at first --- hide emotion2.Sing "March of the Volunteers" at first meet --- so exciting3.Loud music he play in the dorm -- attention attraction4.Twelfth Night.--- obviously hint his feel for Marcus5.Sensitive to the love letters. ---- "You don't feel anything for me?"6.Last glance back in the church. ---- full of depression7:The dean asks Marcus how many dates he has gone since he's been Winsberg,this is an odd question at that situation;,he probably want to tell Marcus,Bertram needs to be cared just like you are,but Marcus thinks about blew thing,gets angry and changes the subject to religion issues. Anyway,this is the cause of the stories next to it,if my guess is right,homosexual repression in that time.sad stories for both of the two people
svonsawilski Social Sanction is a reality in our postmodern multicultural context. Daily people are asked to assimilate and in their best interest it would be easier for everyone if they found a way to do that without being compromised. Asking someone to assimilate should never be this brash a process and people need to be able to find their maturity without being patronized to the point of hospitalization. A comment was made in the behind the scenes script, 'a life and death scene' and the film itself expounds that wonderfully. A point presented with sophistication and clarity, enjoyed it from the first moment to the last.
Red_Identity I had no idea what the actual premise for this film was, but I did think it would be a period melodrama that could also prove to be overly sentimental and a little sappy. However, it really surprised me in what it actually turned out to be. It's a coming-of-age take that is different from most that we get. It's very dialogue-driven and that dialogue is just a joy to listen to. The film takes a deep look into the characters' psychologies and doesn't resort to the usual dramatics that films of this type usually do. Logan Lerman is an incredibly talented actor and he once again shows his skill here. A mature and very detailed performance.