Indignation (2016)

Jack and I really liked this drama of an outspoken freshman who doesn't fit in at his 1951 college. Based on Philip Roth's 2008 novel, its characters are complex, the acting exceptional, the story layered, and we loved the period sets and cars, as usual.

Logan Lerman (last seen in Noah) is terrific, blending maturity and naïveté, as beloved only child Marcus adapting to dorm/college life and what are now somewhat archaic customs; as is Sarah Gadon (most recently in Belle) as Olivia, a beautiful girl with more than meets the eye. Tracy Letts (last in Wiener-Dog) is perfect as the Dean with whom Marcus verbally spars, and I particularly appreciated the character of Marcus' mother, as played by Linda Emond (she was in Julie & Julia as Childs' collaborator Simone Beck--that's why she looked so familiar). Another familiar face is Ben Rosenfield as Flusser, Marcus' roommate (he played Nucky's nephew Willie Thompson on Boardwalk Empire).

James Schamus adapted Roth's 29th book and makes his feature directorial debut after writing and co-writing many hits for director Ang Lee, including Eat Drink Man Woman, The Ice Storm (1997), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000); Hulk (2003); Lust, Caution (2007); and Taking Woodstock. He seems like a pro already. Not a surprise, since, as co-President of Focus Features he has producing credits on fifty projects--not only those above, but also Sense and Sensibility (1995), The Brothers McMullen (1995), Happiness (1998), Brokeback Mountain (2005), and Suffragette, to name a few.

It turns out we've seen quite a lot of production designer Inbal Weinberg's work, including Blue Valentine, Pariah, Our Idiot Brother, The Place Beyond the Pines, The Perks of Being a Wallflower (which starred Lerman), and St. Vincent. It's probably best to save this three minute featurette about the costumes until after you've watched the movie, because I consider it to have spoilers.

The  music by Jay Wadley (new to me) is ethereal and can be streamed by starting here and turning on autoplay. Pay attention to Is It Love, heard on the radio during Marcus and Olivia's first date. Schamus and Wadley wrote the lyrics and music, respectively, just for this movie and hired cabaret singer Jane Monheit to interpret it with a full orchestra. Turns out Schamus also wrote lyrics for the Oscar-nominated song in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. However, he voted not for his own song but for the winner: Bob Dylan's Things Have Changed from Wonder Boys (2000).

Rotten Tomatoes' critics are averaging 80% and its audiences 95% one day after its wide release. We highly recommend it for a wide audience of adults.