Paul Schrader’s ‘The Basics of Philosophy’ Premieres at Venice Film Festival

Paul Schrader’s latest film, “The Basics of Philosophy,” premiered at the Venice Film Festival, featuring Jack Huston as a college professor grappling with childhood trauma and moral guilt. Critics highlighted the movie’s unflinching exploration of taboo subjects and its philosophical underpinnings drawn from Spinoza.

4 Sept, 19:45 — 4 Sept, 22:00

Post Share

Why this matters

Paul Schrader remains a defining voice in arthouse cinema, renowned for crafting the modern tortured antihero through both his screenwriting for Martin Scorsese and his own directorial canon. His continued exploration of existential guilt and moral ambiguity at a prestigious event like Venice underscores his enduring influence, even as industry observers debate whether he is evolving his craft or relying on familiar tropes.

Key entitiesPaul Schrader Jack Huston Venice Film Festival Martin Scorsese Spinoza

Source Diversity

Excellent (75/100)

7 sources33/33

Spectrum spread— 4/5 buckets covered25/33

Far L1

Far Left (1)

The Guardian

Left3

Left (3)

varietyhollywood-reporterdeadline

Center1

Center (1)

klix-ba

Right2

Right (2)

el-mundola-vanguardia

Far R

Geographic diversity— 4 regions17/34

US3Spain2UK1Bosnia1

Sources

Showing 4 of 7 sources

The GuardianMostly Factual3h ago

The Basics of Philosophy review – Paul Schrader back to his cool, cruel best

Venice film festival When a figure from his past turns up to a family funeral, a college professor faces an agonising dilemma that makes him question his own morality and whether he can change Paul Schrader is back with his most successful picture since First Reformed in 2018. It’s a stereotypical Schrader study of masculinity in some ways, about a man agonising over moral choice and ethical behaviour while – as so often in Schrader’s movies – reading and writing philosophy in an austerely fu...

By Peter Bradshaw

Read full article →

varietyMostly Factual1h ago

Jack Huston Cheers on Paul Schrader as Sexual Abuse Drama ‘Basics of Philosophy’ Premieres in Venice

Paul Schrader looked visibly moved as his new film “The Basics of Philosophy,” about a professor confronted with his past sexual abuse, premiered out-of-competition at Venice to a moderate 4.5-minute ovation on Friday night. The crowd cheered “Bravi, Bravi!” as star Jack Huston patted him on the back and added to the cheering. Co-stars Sofia […]

By Ellise Shafer

Read full article →

hollywood-reporterMostly Factual1h ago

Paul Schrader Tears Up at ‘The Basics of Philosophy’ Venice Premiere

Jack Huston leads Schrader’s latest meditation on guilt and redemption, alongside Sofia Boutella and Bill Pullman.

By Patrick Brzeski

Read full article →

deadlineMostly Factual3h ago

‘The Basics Of Philosophy’ Review: Jack Huston Is Tormented By His Past In Paul Schrader’s Introspective Character Study – Venice Film Festival

In an endlessly impressive filmography either as a screenwriter for Martin Scorsese-directed classics like Taxi Driver, The Last Temptation of Christ and Raging Bull, to his own prodigious output as a director-writer of about 30 movies including Hardcore, American Gigolo, Affliction, Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters and all the way up to more recent […]

By Pete Hammond

Read full article →

Coverage Timeline

First report: klix-ba · 4 Sept, 09:51|Full coverage: 7 · 12h|Window: 12h

klix-ba4 Sept, 09:51First to report

Rooney i Kate Mara zvijezde su filma Wernera Herzoga: Za samo pet dana napisao scenarij

5h later

la-vanguardia4 Sept, 14:56

Paul Schrader introduce a Spinoza en su nuevo film y le pregunta si la gente puede cambiar

5h later

The Guardian4 Sept, 19:45

The Basics of Philosophy review – Paul Schrader back to his cool, cruel best

deadline4 Sept, 19:50

‘The Basics Of Philosophy’ Review: Jack Huston Is Tormented By His Past In Paul Schrader’s Introspective Character Study – Venice Film Festival

el-mundo4 Sept, 19:54

Paul Schrader completa su trabajo más artificial en la enésima revisión del héroe atormentado en The Basics of Philosophy (**)

2h later

hollywood-reporter4 Sept, 21:59

Paul Schrader Tears Up at ‘The Basics of Philosophy’ Venice Premiere

variety4 Sept, 22:00Latest update

Paul Schrader’s ‘The Basics of Philosophy’ Premieres at Venice Film Festival

Why this matters

Source Diversity

Source Diversity

Sources

The Basics of Philosophy review – Paul Schrader back to his cool, cruel best

Jack Huston Cheers on Paul Schrader as Sexual Abuse Drama ‘Basics of Philosophy’ Premieres in Venice

Paul Schrader Tears Up at ‘The Basics of Philosophy’ Venice Premiere

‘The Basics Of Philosophy’ Review: Jack Huston Is Tormented By His Past In Paul Schrader’s Introspective Character Study – Venice Film Festival

Coverage Timeline

Rooney i Kate Mara zvijezde su filma Wernera Herzoga: Za samo pet dana napisao scenarij

Paul Schrader introduce a Spinoza en su nuevo film y le pregunta si la gente puede cambiar

The Basics of Philosophy review – Paul Schrader back to his cool, cruel best

‘The Basics Of Philosophy’ Review: Jack Huston Is Tormented By His Past In Paul Schrader’s Introspective Character Study – Venice Film Festival

Paul Schrader completa su trabajo más artificial en la enésima revisión del héroe atormentado en The Basics of Philosophy (**)

Paul Schrader Tears Up at ‘The Basics of Philosophy’ Venice Premiere

Jack Huston Cheers on Paul Schrader as Sexual Abuse Drama ‘Basics of Philosophy’ Premieres in Venice

Related Stories

Love After Lockup Star Amber Eggers Dies at 41

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Crosses $1 Billion at International Box Office

Wheel of Fortune Announcer Jim Thornton Fired Over Pedophilia Chatroom Allegations

Mistrial Declared in Murder Case of Lindsay Clancy Amid Retrial Speculation

Why this matters