Paul Schrader’s latest film, “The Basics of Philosophy,” continues the writer-director’s exploration of guilt, transgression, and the search for redemption. The film centers on Jack Huston as Prof. John Jorrisen, a philosophy professor grappling with a dark past.
Schrader’s work has repeatedly focused on characters burdened by past deeds, previously examining a former torturer in “The Card Counter” and a former Nazi in “Master Gardener.” With “The Basics of Philosophy,” he tackles the question of whether one can atone for being a pedophile. The film opens with Jorrisen lecturing his students on “The Basics of Philosophy,” attempting to understand their perspectives on the subject.
The review notes that the film’s presentation is either “damningly clumsy” or “daringly straightforward,” depending on the viewer’s familiarity with Schrader’s style. While unlikely to convert existing opinions of his work, the film offers some new elements, including visual interest through the cinematography of Sean Price Williams and a “somber mood” established by Eli Kezsler’s score.
John teaches at a small college and is writing a book on the rationalist philosopher Spinoza while also dating a psychology professor, Becca (Sofia Boutella), who has a son with whom John develops a relationship. Huston’s performance is highlighted for its “peculiar intensity,” controlled voice, and a subtle sense of something being “just that bit off.”
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