James Schamus

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.