The 2016 film version of Philip Roth's novel "Indignation" feels genuine with a high-degree of realism in regards to both emotionally resonant acting and dialog that perfectly captures the zeitgeist of post-WWII early 1950's. Showcasing the burgeoning time period when bright & ambitious college students just began to question social-mores, testing restrictive boundaries on personal freedoms established by long-standing arbiters of authority.**Spoiler Alert** Focusing on the trials & tribulations of the intensely-bright & ambitious (though somewhat naive) 'Marcus Messner' (with expert portrayal by Logan Lerman) adjusting to student-life at the rural-provincial Mid-western college called 'Winesburg' in Ohio.  Marcus' family is Jewish with father being a Kosher butcher in Newark, New Jersey. But Marcus views himself as an uncompromising 'rationalist' who doesn't allow religious-strictures to hold him back from wide-ranging (and free-thinking) academic goals.  His intellectual-hero is not surprisingly the renowned British mathematician-philosopher Bertrand Russell.One contradictory aspect to Marcus' character is that even though apparently eschewing his family's Jewish religion, Marcus lives by uncompromisingly stringent ethical-standards acutely aware of even the slightest perceived hypocritical musings or thoughtless actions witnessed in the views of the people around him. Marcus' uncompromising World-view sets-the-stage for a stimulating intellectual battle of wills with the college Dean Caudwell (intensely portrayed by Tracy Letts).At first, Dean Caudwell appears genuinely concerned that Marcus is not readily conforming to college-life at Winesburg , with Marcus storming-out of his shared dorm room and subsequently  living in isolation. This dramatic but intensely-realistic conversation matches wits of Marcus' rebellious rational-humanism against Dean's emphasis on family, faith and moral-fortitude along with an emphasis on properly 'fitting-in' (Dean is also perplexed that Marcus does not find identity, solace and strong sense of 'bonding' within his culturally-rich Jewish heritage).  The scene is endlessly fascinating (and relevant) as neither Marcus nor Dean Caudwell can make the slightest dent in the other's sense of moral certitude, constantly talking miles past each other.  There is also the mysterious Love-tangle whereby inexperienced/innocent Marcus is emotionally overpowered by the delicately-beautiful (but perhaps bit unstable) 'Olivia Hutton' (immaculately portrayed by Sarah Gadon). Initially, Marcus cannot fathom how Olivia seems to have taken an intense liking to him, even granting an unexpected/ unrequested 'favor' on their very first date that makes Marcus' head spin, requiring a bit of time for Marcus to fully comprehend what actually happened that first night. Backing away from Olivia for awhile, Marcus feels those irresistible magnetic-forces relentlessly pulling on his heartstrings in short-order.  There is much more to Olivia Hutton than meets the eye of course, embodying a fragile emotional complexity that is far beyond anyone's comprehension.Foreshadowing everything else in Philip Roth's historically-resonant narrative inherent to "Indignation" i.e. the foreboding sense that even the most rational-Logical and well-intentioned human-being can never escape the clutches of Fate and unsympathetic circumstance.  Even Marcus' abundant capacity for 'mind-over-matter' problem-solving (along with his sincere intentions) cannot guarantee that everything will 'work-out' in the End --- and in fact, the immutable circumstances of 'history' (and especially the 'wages of War') seem to have pre-ordained Marcus' tragic fate."Indignation" flawlessly directed by James Schamus and brilliantly acted by Logan Lerman, Tracy Letts and Sarah Gadon superlatively rises to the occasion and presents a realistic and heartrending cinematic 'time & place' that perfectly captures Philip Roth's intriguing + insightful narrative ruminating upon the era in America when attitudes (and philosophical outlooks) really began to break-free of age-old acceptances, even shedding light on the beginnings of some of our Country's current deep-rooted political & cultural divisions (and immutable historical circumstance).

After seeing this movie I am astounded that I myself survived at all, however marginally, after finishing my college education. Probably I shouldn't have. This film taught me way more about myself, and the diabolical twists and turns of a self-created life...than about what I was supposed to understand about what kids think about the wars raging all around them, about why Roth picked the material he wrote about, or about why some themes in life get recognized and why some don't. It's still an OK film and of course I will be reading the novel next. I assume there will be far more fine-tuned nuance there, and I also suspect I will personally feel maybe more invisible as well. Still plan to publish this reader- review and still plan to writhe through many more twists and turns in my own astoundingly improbable and invisible life. And while I'm doing that I'll probably read "A Separate Peace" one more time and then maybe get smug about how the movie for that book likewise failed to hold up. Or maybe I'm just obsessed on who can "pass that inspection" and who can't.

This is nearly a perfectly executed movie. The acting by all the main characters is excellent. It is pensive and slow,but not is a way that causes the viewer to be uninterested. In fact I watched several scenes,several times.A young,very bright Jewish man receives a scholarship to a Christian college in 1951. He is openly atheist and angry he must endure chapel and thinking in general from others of a primitive thinking nature. But he is a buthcher's son and this is his chance to ve mich more,the world is at his fingertips. He,himself is young and naive,especially when it comes to women. However he meets a beautiful precocious women with some emotional problems and a reputation. Never the less he is taken with her as she is with him. The story revolves around his relationship with her as well as the students and a especially an ingratiating forcefully conservative Dean played extremely well by Tracy Letts.Many will find this too thoughtful,too pensive,too slow. It is simply not the kind of movie many usually see today. Certainly not like what most rush off to see at the theaters with 3D glasses,action,thrills and CGI. It simply isn't that kind of movie. This is what we use to call a film. This one is for the thinkers. Intelligent,disturbing,thoughtful. 4 stars.

The young man, Marcus Messner, was fortunate to attend college instead of being drafted by the military because of the Korean war. Marcus had huge potential for his academic journey due to his ambitious reason to leave his small town and begin his higher education.After arriving at the college, he slowly begins to experience cultural shock. One experience after another, Marcus begins to become unease and his studies are no longer a top priority. A young beautiful woman, Olivia Hutton, distorts his thinking after she relieves Marcus from some sexual tension.Marcus' encounter with the college dean is an amazing scene. The young man displays principles he believes in and not any organized religion. The dean begins to provoke Marcus indirectly about being an atheist. As Marcus tries to retreat from the dean's office, Marcus continued to slice through the dean's attempt to make him fold. The dean would not let Marcus leave gently.Ultimately, Marcus failed to "fit in" and throughout the movie his reason and choices determine his unprecedented outcome, which is not college. Sprinkle some random chance on Marcus' particular situation that resulted from his experience at the college, the young boy's destiny was far from his expectations after his initial small hometown escape.