A movie that is about the 1950s decade as well as a young man's sexual awakening and first encounter with prejudice during the first year of college, Indignation possesses a few elements we associate with films of this time period: no "Gee golly!" exclamations, no shots of milk-men during their delivery hours, nor beautifully dressed women wearing soft white gloves in middle of scorching summers. What the movie does possess, however, is an unmistakable sense of point of view, as its protagonist, Marcus (an atheist from a Jewish family) is unnecessarily scolded by his academic institution's dean merely for being a minority without faith who happens to be dating a girl who's rumored to be promiscuous. The young man is undoubtedly a victim of his time and place, and by the time the tragic ending arrives, we're not sure if the heartbreaking event has actually taken place, or if it's just a figment of his imagination, as several scenes prior to it had clearly been. Director James Schamus does an admirable job of not shoving the material down his audience's throat; his touch is subtle and very effective as a result.
B+
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