Indignation review: Logan Lerman leads this interesting drama from long-time Ang Lee producer James Schmaus in his directorial debut.
Indignation review by Paul Heath, Berlin Film Festoval, 2016. Indignation is the new film from celebrated American filmmaker James Schamus, the producer behind movies like Brokeback Mountain, Sense and Sensibility and The Ice Storm. Here, Schmaus moves to direct his first motion picture, a period drama based on The Human Stain writer Phillip Roth‘s novel, Indignation.
Leading the cast is rising star Logan Lerman. He plays the character of Marcus Messner, a working-class, Jewish student from New Jersey, who wins a scholarship to attend a prestigious Ohio college, thus avoiding the call-up for duty in the Korean War. There, he attracts the attention, and is attracted to, fellow student Olivia Hutton (Sarah Gadon), causing his sexual liberation, and the indignation of the title, most of which comes from the direction of the school’s Dean (Tracy Letts).
Lerman follows on from his superb performance in the World War II action drama Fury with another motion picture that shows off his maturity as an actor. Lerman skillfully carries the story of the you Marcus, a young man from small town New Jersey, with a very different background to his peers at Winesburg university. His chemistry with Gadon shines through to light up the screen in every frame in which he appears, and the young actress also proves her worth in the film, which has been skillfully adapted by Schmaus.
Schmaus’s screenplay is as solid as his direction; his vast experience shining through in a faithful adaption of Roth’s 2008 novel. Indignation moves along at a very good pace, save a 15-minute long Dean/ Messner interaction, which while necessary, does become a little long-winded. The film also looks amazing, with the director bringing on board The Bling Ring and The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt.
While not a masterpiece, Indignation is sure to please and elevate Lerman, who also executive produces, to the next level in his exciting and prosperous career, while at the same time ensuring that Schmaus has quite the future ahead of him as a promising and interesting director.
Indignation review by Paul Heath at the Berlin Film Festival, 2016.
Indignation will see a release in 2016.
