While not the biggest hit at Sundance or Berlin, Indignation walked away from its festival showings with strong buzz for everyone involved, which should be considered a rousing success given the difficult material it’s based on. The narrative density of the average novel by acclaimed writer Philip Roth has long tripped up filmmakers, leading to outright disastrous adaptations like Portnoy’s Complaint and forgotten mediocrity like Elegy.
Indignation, even if imperfect, is shaping up to be a rare Roth adaptation that isn’t brushed aside, if only for the crucial moments it falls on in the careers of its director and lead actor.
James Schamus was given the task of adapting and directing the novel of the same name, and while he’s a proven writer and producer thanks to his work on projects like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Brokeback Mountain, this marks his first time taking the director’s chair. All that work with Ang Lee and his successful run as CEO of Focus Features shows that he knows the movie business inside and out, so it’s no surprise that he’s drawing praise for a seamless career transition.
Taking on the lead role and serving as an executive producer is Logan Lerman, who is navigating the precarious transition into adult roles with surprising deftness. I doubt many filmgoers pegged the Percy Jackson series as a star maker, but by mixing in head-turning performances in films like The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Fury, Lerman has positioned himself to make the jump cleanly.
I hear that Indignation contains a long central scene between Lerman and fellow actor Tracy Letts that’s nothing more than an electric exchange of words. It sounds like a moment that could mark Lerman’s position, once and for all, as an actor with staying power.
If Indignation is even a minor hit, it’s sure to be noteworthy in the careers of Lerman, Schamus, and even Roth. The icing on the cake would be that it’s simply a great movie to watch, and isn’t that what we’re all looking for?
Indignation is directed by James Schamus and stars Logan Lerman, Sarah Gadon, and Tracy Letts. It will be released in the U.S. on July 29th, 2016. For international release dates, click here.
How do you think this fraught adaptation will turn out? Let us know in the comments!
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