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Poster for The Basics of Philosophy

The Basics of Philosophy

2026 · 94 min

A hushed, interior study of a man quietly coming apart, heavy with conscience and slow spiritual dread.

Directed by
Paul Schrader
Genres
Drama
Overview
A repressed philosophy professor, Dr. John Jorissen, is employed at Ridgemont College, a small liberal arts school in the American Midwest. He teaches an introductory course and is writing a book on renowned Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza. Haunted by a long-buried transgression and the sudden return of its victim, he descends into a crisis of guilt, desire, and spiritual reckoning.
How it feels
Slow-burning and demanding.
About
Guilt, obsession, faith, identity
Content
Mild violence, sexual content and language. No gore.
Note
Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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In the USNo streaming, rental or purchase options known.
Directed by
Paul Schrader
Genres
Drama
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How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Full breakdown
Tone
    Pacing
    slow-burn, 1 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
    Attention
    demanding, 4 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
    Themes
    • guilt
    • obsession
    • faith
    • identity
    • redemption
    Places
    • school
    • small town
    Era
    contemporary
    Audience
    adult
    Form
    None
    Content intensity
    • Gore none
    • Language mild
    • Violence mild
    • Sex mild
    All scales, 0 to 10
    Scales, 0 to 10
    ScaleValue0 to 10
    Action1
    Horror2
    Humour1
    Realism8
    Romance3
    Tension5
    Darkness7
    Complexity7
    Emotional weight8

    Cast

    Where to watch in the US

    Change country

    No streaming, rental or purchase options are known in the US.

    Streaming data from JustWatch.TMDB

    Details

    Genres
    drama
    Directed by
    Paul Schrader
    Written by
    Paul Schrader
    Starring
    Jack Huston, Sofia Boutella, Daniel Zovatto, Shiloh Fernandez, Dana Delany, Bill Pullman, Karl Glusman, Jamie Addison
    Music
    Eli Keszler
    Cinematography
    Sean Price Williams
    Runtime
    94 min
    Country
    United States of America
    Languages
    English

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