Indignation

2016 Directed by James Schamus

Based on the novel by Philip Roth.

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.

Logan Lerman Sarah Gadon Tracy Letts Linda Emond Joanne Baron Ben Rosenfield Philip Ettinger Pico Alexander Noah Robbins Danny Burstein Susan Varon Bryan Burton Steven Kaplan Richard Topol Isabel Keating Eli Gelb Margo Kazaryan Doris McCarthy Melanie Blake Roth Andrew S. Thompson Bo Stansell Bryan Fitzgerald Betsy Hogg Rebecca Watson Will MacAdam Jason Erik Zacek Kc Coy Samuel Dunning Eliza Foss Show All…

Alternative Titles

Indignação, 青春躁郁, Indignación

romance drama

110 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by adrianbalboa ★★★½ 4

me: it’s been two whole years since my first love retired from acting damn i miss you @LoganLerman
logan: stop telling people i retired from acting tf i just filmed a movie with Michael Stuhlbarg
me: sometimes i can still feel his presence on the imdb message boards
Review by davidehrlich ★★★★ 1

It's been almost 50 years since someone's made a good movie from a Philip Roth novel (that would be 1969's Goodbye, Columbus) — and thank God that didn't stop James Schamus from trying. The former Focus Features CEO imbues this period drama with the same searing classicism that defined the masterpieces he wrote and produced during his tenure as studio head (i.e. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), and Logan Lerman absolutely aces his part as an emotionally implosive Jewish kid who enrolls at a Catholic college in order to avoid the Korean War. Come for the nuanced study of institutional guilt, stay for Tracy Lett's show-stopping set pieces and Sarah Gadon's heartbreaking turn as one of cinema's great shiksa goddesses.
Review by Mike D'Angelo ★★★★ 3

71/100
A chilling illustration of nails that stick out being hammered down, lent additional blunt force by the strangeness of (fairly recent) history. Tom Townsend would surely complain—from today's perspective, a college guy freaking out after getting blown on the first date seems even more ridiculous than the premise of Mansfield Park—but it's not particularly difficult to think of modern equivalents to such feminine "unseemliness," whether or not they're what Roth had in mind. (Haven't read the novel.) Also rare and exciting to see intellectual ferocity onscreen, even if it's the annoyingly self-righteous undergrad variety. Schamus wisely makes no effort to run before he can walk, taking visual cues from Ang Lee's earlier films rather than his later ones, and…
Review by Jordan Rowe ★★★★

Often playing more like theater than a film, "Indignation" makes for a compelling character drama, thanks to a strong screenplay and a cast of terrific performances, anchored by Logan Lerman, who continues to prove he's one of the most exciting young actors we have today.
Review by Ben Cloverfield Lane ★★★★

If only all the great love stories could begin with an atheist student (at a conservative college in Ohio, no less) getting a blowjob in a cemetary.
Review by maneleeo ★★★

I usually don't enjoy Logan Lerman's acting but he was pretty good in this. But everything on the film didn't work as well as him. Still an interesting film in what it approaches.
Review by 𝕎𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕞 (𝕃𝕖𝕠) 𝕧𝕒𝕟 𝕕𝕖𝕣 ℤ𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕟 ★★★★½ 3

Added to: 2016 Ranked
Added to: .mpr.ss..n.sm .n f.lm
Has probably the finest discussion about blowjobs in any film ever.
Also, the long discussion main character Marcus has with his dean in the middle of the film was like all the thoughts I've ever had put into some very fine words and although it is told in a rather different situation than mine, it definitely struck a heavy chord with me.
James Schamus' feature length debut is a essentially a story about a young man's guilt. The guilt of misunderstanding one's own situation. The guilt of misunderstanding first love, religious believes and ultimately life's early "big decisions" concerning ones future. It's as coming-of-age as it can get, but aside from…
Review by Mike D'Angelo ★★★★

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

71/100
Second viewing, no change, though I did better appreciate the deft fakeout Schamus pulls off by dissolving from Korea to a wake for one of Marcus' classmates. (Also realized that the nurse in the opening scene actually says "Olivia," a detail I'd forgotten by the time Olivia is re-introduced; indeed, the first time I utterly forgot about the prologue until the movie circled back to it at the end. And here, again, Schamus trusts us to understand the significance of the wallpaper for her. A small thing, but welcome.)
Review by Aaron Hendrix ★★★★ 2

It's strange being dead. As I have been for I don't know how long.
In many ways I find myself at a loss trying to sum up my feelings about Indignation. It's gorgeous, thoughtful, well-paced, fascinating, and frustrating cinema.
Now, technically, this film is quite flawless. It's impeccably shot, lit to perfection, and acted with conviction, if not quite with nuance. However, all of the characters, save Olivia, are immensely frustrating. They do and say stupid things, things which may seem realistic, but are nonetheless incredibly annoying. This isn't necessarily why I've given it a 4 star rating, that's mostly for the lack of nuance. But, it is what I'm referring to when I said that this is a frustrating…
Review by Dawson Joyce ★★★★

With excellent performances, beautiful cinematography, and nuanced characters and storytelling, Indignation is not only a solid adaptation of the Philip Roth novel of the same name but also an impressive directorial debut from former Focus Features head honcho James Schamus.
Review by Aaron Michael ★★★★

I really, really, really loved this. As a film, I think it sits pretty firmly in the "good, not great" category, but it really latched onto something in me. On the whole, INDIGNATION captures Philip Roth's sensibilities, which is tough to do in cinematic form. Logan Lerman and Sarah Gadon both deliver restrained performances imbued with intensity and nuance.
That the story is set in 1950 is fascinating to me because, as a coming of age story, it feels timeless. The individual pieces of the story work as a broader principles, landmarks of growing up and the struggles we have.
I really, really, really recommend. It's gorgeous, nuanced, and moving portrait of youth.
Review by Robby

Despite this movie depressing the shit out of me and it's slow pace, Indignation is still a deep, engaging movie with what might be the years best performance in Logan Lerman. He's seriously incredible here.

Recent reviews

Review by nestlepak

this is literally a 2-hour movie about the consequences of a blowjob.
Review by amainer ★★★½

Many people probably have not even heard of "Indignation" let alone actually seen this powerful film but they really should. James Schamus, the long-time screenwriter and producer ("The Ice Storm", "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "Brokeback Mountain") and one-time head of Focus Features, made his debut behind the camera with a 2008 Phillip Roth novel and has crafted an exceptionally captivating and deeply moving drama focusing on class, religion and sexual repression. A tragic and complicated story beautifully translated by a first-class film maker.
Review by Avathoir ★★★★½

This movie owns. Despite its prestige lit appearance, Schamus has somehow walked the tightrope perfectly, creating a film which is both very composed and deeply violent in a way that reminds me of the Age of Innocence. Decorum has rarely been used so effectivley, which makes the films successes (why didn't Gadon become a huge star you COWARDS) all the more devastating when they do hit. A super underrated gem.
Review by Yolkysasquatch ★★★★

The menu music on my blu ray is the lightest and bubbliest little tune. This is a really sad movie.
Review by Jake Goldstein-Street ★★★½

How did you end up here, on this exact day, at this exact time, with this specific event happening to you?
The first 40 or so minutes of this Philip Roth adaptation had me worried. They veer far off from the original novel, starting with Olivia as an old woman, which doesn't happen in the book but does pay off in the end in a rather nice way. (I will say it's odd that the opening shot shows a vial that says O. Hutton when the nurse says it's Olivia Anderson). It also skips over a second Marcus roommate, his experience at a New Jersey college and his father locking him out of the house.
But this really starts to…
Review by William Kretschmer ★★★½

In 1951, Marcus, a working-class Jewish student from New Jersey, attends a small Ohio college, where he struggles with sexual repression and cultural disaffection, amid the ongoing Korean War.
Proper adaptation of the Philip Roth novel presents the tragedy in a calm, old-fashioned style with good period detail and an excellent cast.
Review by Raw ★★★½

Logan Lerman, let me talk to you!!
Review by Aylen de Arcangelo ★★★½

The title of this film defines perfectly what it makes you feel: indignation. The movie is perfect and Logan Lerman is a great actor.
Also... I refuse to accept the end, so unfair.
Review by Daniel ★★★★ 1

I got about an hour into ranting about god being insignificant in a material universe and the art of blowjobs before I went “wait, this has to be based on some Philip Roth shit” and yeah, turns out it was. maybe I missed the title card.
if you’re a chronically extremely thirsty, over-analytical, distrustful of family but altogether too loyal to your friends jewish-american, odds are Philip Roth meant something quite important to you. I know reading Portnoy’s Complaint both grossed me out a bit but also was like “holy shit, this fuckin guy gets it” at far too many points.
when the guy asks “who provides you with spiritual sustenance” and big boy goes “why don’t you eat shit with the leading questions, you turkey” (paraphrasing) I felt that.
Review by Paolo Carone ★★★★

Great screenplay, great acting, great final shot.
Review by ignacio zaltsman

אני הרוס (estoy destrozado)
Review by tal ★★★★½

logan lerman for every philip roth adaptation 2021