Review: Liberal Arts

Review: Liberal Arts

The curse of the sitcom has hit Josh Radnor pretty hard, as to the masses he is known simply as Ted from the brilliant sitcom How I Met Your Mother. Yet that hasn't stopped him from breaking out of the mould, if purely for his own personal pleasure, by writing and directing a stunningly true-to-life tale of nostalgia and philosophy in the form of Liberal Arts.

It's not perfect by any means; Radnor shows a great talent for scriptwriting and character development within his story, however there is no particular ingenuity with regards to his film-making techniques. This often leads to a little boredom, and audiences may leave the cinema wishing that the movie had gone that extra mile to be slightly more visually impressive. Yet despite its flaws, Liberal Arts is an engaging film, and probably the best indie flick of the year. 

The movie follows the story of Jesse, a 35 year old college admissions officer whose head has been buried deep in books ever since his graduation from college. He longs to experience the nostalgia of campus life once again, so when Jesse's old professor calls to invite him to a retirement party, he jumps at the chance to visit his old educational environment. He meets 19 year old Zibby (played surprisingly well by Elizabeth Olsen), and the two quickly connect over a shared love of literature, language and philosophy. Jesse soon begins to wonder if it's time for a second stab at life, and restarts university once again as he pursues a deeper relationship with Zibby.

The narrative's pretty basic, but that doesn't stop it from being charming - sometimes the simplest narratives have the biggest impact, and Liberal Arts is certainly engaging. There are a few lulls here and there, however, particularly when Jesse and Zibby begin abusing modern pop culture - the characters begin to become slightly unlikable and cocky. 

That said, Radnor really excels in his role and handles the pressure brilliantly. Jesse is given strength by the realism of Radnor's performance, and his upbeat attitude throughout the majority of the film really hides an underlying sadness. "What was your major?" asks Zibby. "I was English," replies Jesse, grinning. "With a minor in history. Just to make sure I was fully unemployable." 

As for Elizabeth Olsen, the major surprise of the film is just how good she actually is, particularly during the most emotional moments. Zibby's relationship with Jesse is so easy to believe; it's naturally formed and it naturally clicks together - and, true to real life, it's left ambiguous for a long period of time.

The supporting cast are decent, particularly the excellent Richard Jenkins as Jesse's old professor who hilariously decides he isn't ready for retirement after all. Zac Efron also makes an appearance as (the slightly unnecessary) Nat, a young stoner student whose philosophical debates keep Jesse entertained in spite of himself.

Like I said earlier, the main problem with the film is the lack of diversity within its cinematography. Fans of indie movies looking for colourful, cutesy scenes like the intro of 2007's Juno, or ingenious moments such as the "Reality" and "Expectations" scene from 2009's 500 Days of Summer will be disappointed for the most part, as Liberal Arts lacks any particularly exciting imagery to match its colourful dialogue. What it lacks in this department, however, it makes up for in lighthearted comedy, such as when Jesse restarts university and spends his days carrying out stereotypically student activities such as playing guitar underneath trees, capering over the lawns and even throwing frisbees with glee on his face.

Summary

Liberal Arts is the best indie film of 2012, and although it lacks the visual punch and artistic imagery of similar flicks, Josh Radnor's latest directorial venture is a charmingly brilliant look at nostalgia and philosophy. This is a film that treats its audience like they may actually have a brain, and the script is incredibly true to life; its realism is sure to entice viewers even further than the excellent performances from its cast. The way that Liberal Arts shows that life can barge in the way of one's best laid plans is the main reason that anyone prone to nostalgia - or even procrastination - should see it.

8/10 - Great

See it if you liked: 500 Days of Summer (2009), happythankyoumoreplease (2010), Midnight In Paris (2011)