The film is set in 1951 in the early days of the Korean War. Logan Lerman plays young Marcus Messner, the son of a Newark, New Jersey kosher butcher. His parents have very high hopes and expectations of Marcus and are terrified by the fact that many of his peers are heading to war and in some cases to their deaths. Off he goes to a small Christian college in Ohio to study pre law. He is descended upon by the small community of Jewish students who expect that he will join their ranks in the Jewish fraternity. Marcus wants no part of it and just wants to pursue his studies quietly and independently. He happens upon a beautiful yet troubled and complicated coed and his life is forever changed. The stunning Sarah Gadon, a relative newcomer, is superb in her role as Marcus’s love interest. Logan Lerman gives the performance of his young life. He was most recently seen in “Fury” and “Perks of Being a Wallflower “.
Some of the most entertaining scenes involve the interplay and exchanges between the very bright Marcus and Dean Caudwell. Tracy Letts is wonderful as the pompous, authoritarian Dean trying to gain conformance from this bright, yet wet behind the ears Jewish freshman. The scenes are so crisply written and fun that I will be sure to see the film again.
Happily Liongate/Summit picked up this film while playing at Sundance and I have high hopes that it will be widely released later this year. Be on the lookout, and if it shows up so should you.
