One of The Beach Boys’ finest, most underrated songs is That’s Not Me, off their acclaimed album Pet Sounds – as one that resonates with listeners for its theme of moving away from home, becoming an adult away from the clutches of your parents. It’s it’s what laid the foundations for the wonderful, Oscar nominated Brooklyn last year, lending itself to traditional coming-of-age tales, as a notion so many of us can relate to. It’s also the stomping ground for which James Schamus has set his directorial debut, bringing Philip Roth’s novel Indignation to the big screen.
Set in 1951, our protagonist is Marcus (Logan Lerman) who leaves behind his beleaguered mother (Linda Emond) and paranoid father (Danny Burstein) both uneasy given the current climate, whereby young boys of their only son’s age are being killed in the Korean War. But Marcus has other ideas, setting off to Ohio to study – though the introvert struggles to make friends, even having to request a room change following an altercation with his fellow Jewish roommates. Though Jewish by race, he remains a staunch atheist, and is at odds with the Christian values of the college, squaring up on occasion to Dean Caudwell (Tracy Letts) as a result. But then he meets the beguiling Olivia Hutton (Sarah Gadon) – and her sexual confidence brings him out of his comfort zone, but at a cost.
Though on the surface this simplistic narrative works as a romantic tale, the internal conflict within Marcus gives the viewer much to ponder over, as he struggles to identify who he really is, and what he wants to achieve in life, appreciating that in order to enter in to adulthood comfortably, there’s a lot he may have to change along the way, all the while resistant in compromising his own morals and beliefs.
There is a light comedic edge to this tale too, particularly in his relationship with his over-protective parents, while there is one lengthy scene taking place between Marcus and the Dean which is one of the more riveting and absorbing you’ll see this year, bringing this accomplished screenplay to life in quite remarkable fashion.The chemistry between Marcus and Olivia is well-judged too, and Gadon has been blessed with a role that has far more to offer than a mere love interest, provoking a nuanced, fragile display from the Canadian actress.
Indignation is an endearingly straightforward, intimate character study and one that remains wholly relatable, albeit set in a world far away from our own, despite the fact we absorb the 50s setting. But at its core, we’re getting in to the head of somebody trying to navigate his way around college and discover exactly who he wants to be in life, resulting in a fine debut for Schamus.
