**Spoiler Alert**
Director: James Schamus/Starring: Logan Lerman, Sarah Gadon, Tracy Letts, Ben Rosenfeld, Linda Emond, Danny Burstein and Philip Ettinger
Based on Phillip Roth's novel of the same name, Indignation marks the directorial, feature film debut of James Schamus. Roth's novels are never easy to adapt well and I can't recall a great movie that was ever made from any of his books. Bringing a Roth novel to the big screen is a daunting challenge for any director; more so for a directorial newcomer. Schamus not only handles the material with aplomb, he evinces a sure hand, crafting a powerful drama from a seemingly simple story. The film explores and dramatizes the rigid moral landscape of early 1950s' America and its impact on a young, Jewish man from New Jersey.
In the opening scenes, we see a Korean soldier stalking an American soldier through an abandoned building before the aggressor is shot, falling dead. In a different scene, we see an elderly woman sitting alone in a retirement home. What connects the respective scenes and how they serve the story becomes clear later in the film.
Logan Lerman plays Marcus Messner, a teenager from New Jersey on the verge of leaving for college. Marcus spends his days working with and for his father Max (Danny Burstein) at the family-owned butcher shop. Marcus' matriculation at an Ohio college bestows an automatic deferment from military duty in the Korean war; the grim military conflict raging overseas.
The setting quickly shifts from Jersey to a small town in Ohio named Winesburg (an allusion to Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio?). After learning the Jewish students are clustered together in their own enclave-like area of the dormitories, Marcus meets the two roommates with whom he is to share a living space; Ron (Philip Ettinger); a strapping upperclassman and Bertram (Ben Rosefield); an odd duck who is given to reciting Shakespearean passages.
Shortly after meeting his roommates, Marcus learns all students are required to attend Sunday service in the campus chapel; regardless of faith or denomination. The non-negotiable requirement is an unreasonable curricular imperative but Marcus finds it is necessary for graduation.
In his first days at school, Marcus is also approached by two members of the Jewish campus fraternity, who soft sell him on the idea of joining. Marcus declines, feeling no need to join an any organization. The scene is significant, for it gives us a sense of Marcus' independent spirit and introduces the audience to two men who will later play a key role in his school experience.
As a pre-law major, Marcus excels in the classroom; particularly during history, where his inquisitive mind attracts the notice of his professor. A pretty, blonde girl, Olivia Hutton (Sarah Gadon) in his history class catches his eye and after spending evenings standing outside her dorm room window, he asks her out on a date. The two hit it off though Olivia's dark secret reveals itself during their first date. Though it escapes Marcus' immediate attention, Olivia's wrist bears the unmistakable scar of a suicide attempt. Marcus learns soon after that Olivia made an attempt on her own life during a drunken episode, which stemmed from her unhappy home life and her troubled relationship with her father.
Though it's never an issue between them, the stark social contrast between Marcus' humble background and Olivia's upbringing of wealth and privilege is but one of the glaring differences between them.
A key moment in their first date occurs after dinner. While parked in a dark, secluded area, Olivia surprises Marcus by fellating him. The date ends awkwardly and in days thereafter, Marcus avoids Olivia while trying to fathom the sexual experience in the car. Perplexed by her boldness, Marcus reaches out to his roommate Ron in hopes of gleaning some understanding. Ron listens but soon becomes annoyed with Marcus' monotonous discussion.
A period of mutual alienation follows until Marcus seeks her out, only to be rebuffed. A series of letters are exchanged, one of which is taken from Marcus' hands by his prying roommate Bertram. After Marcus reacts violently to Bertram's theft, Ron intervenes, only to enrage Marcus who takes a swing at his bigger, stronger roommate. Ron decks him, which prompts Marcus' exit from the room. Shortly after, Marcus applies for and is granted a room transfer to the dingiest and least coveted living dorm on campus.
In the scene that follows, Marcus is summoned to the college dean's office, who inquires about the room transfer. In the film's most tension-filled, riveting scene, the dean (an excellent Tracy Letts) grills Marcus on a variety of issues and poses thinly-veiled, anti-Semitic questions to him about his father's butcher shop and his Jewish background. But the most contentious and most significant subject is Marcus' atheism. Caudwell's distaste for Marcus' candid comments about his inability to practice one religion over another leads to an impassioned debate. Marcus draws upon Bertrand Russell's Why I'm Not a Christian to support his lack of belief in a Biblical god. When Dean Caudwell cites Russell's morally shaky private life, Marcus counters with a comment about the philosopher/mathematician's Nobel Prize. The Dean's hopeless determination to win the impromptu debate persists, in spite of Marcus' forceful defense of his beliefs. The scene occupies a substantial chunk of screen-time but the acting and the terrific dialogue left me spellbound.
But before Marcus leaves the Dean's office, he collapses and in the subsequent scene in a hospital room, we learn Marcus' physical attack was an appendicitis.
The fact that the appendicitis occurred after Marcus' heated exchange means the collapse could (and should) be interpreted as something more abstract than literal. Any number of interpretations might apply. Given the reactionary spirit of the school and the times, Marcus' ailment could be seen as the progressive's revulsion with the reactionary ideas of 1950s America.
When Olivia surprises Marcus with a hospital visit, her presence on the bed leads to an act which carries the threat of expulsion. Fortunately for both, the fallout is nil.
But Marcus' distaste for the chapel services leads to a course of action with appalling consequences. What follows after powerfully connects the main story to the enigmatic opening scenes.
Schamus' script and story seems so simple in retrospect but nothing in a Roth novel is ever so. Though the compulsory conformity that characterized 1950s' America is represented well in the story, so is the small-minded bigotry and priggish attitudes about sex. The scar on Olivia's wrist is a powerful symbol of the oppressive sexism that left women few life choices and viable options in the era. One can see that both Marcus and Olivia as victims of an intolerant and unenlightened period. Both bear the brunt of 1950s' intolerance: he for being a Jew and Olivia for being a woman; particularly one that is sexually daring.
One of the film's great strengths is also one viewers might find suspect: the lack of marquee cast names. Brilliant performances make any and all qualms irrelevant. Particularly good is Logan Lerman, whose role may be something of a breakthrough. Letts plays the Dean with superb, subtle menace. The aggression seething behind his intolerant, self-righteous face is powerful, which Letts makes almost unbearable without going over the top. Gadon's exceptional performance can't be overlooked, nor can Linda Emond's. The scene where she issues an ultimatum to Marcus about Olivia is one fine moment among many in the film.
Schamus shows a Roth novel can be adapted well, which is no mean feat. With a story so character-driven, camera work tends to be subdued, which means the director must draw exceptional performances from his cast. Schamus does so with a veteran's skill.
Indignation comes as something of summer surprise, which is a good thing; considering my incessant gripes about the multiplex. With super heroes and ghostbusting gals hogging the screens, it's refreshing to see a story about someone more heroic than the costume-clad clowns with super powers. Marcus Messner does it; not by lifting heavy objects or wielding super weapons, but by simply opposing the status quo.
