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Jack Huston Cheers on Paul Schrader’s ‘Basics of Philosophy’ at Venice Film Festival
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In Short: Jack Huston stars in Paul Schrader's morally complex drama 'The Basics of Philosophy,' premiering out of competition at the Venice Film Festival.
The Basics of Philosophy, directed and written by Paul Schrader, premiered at the Venice Film Festival, showcasing a morally complex study of past sins affecting present life. Jack Huston, Sofia Boutella, and Daniel Zavatto star in the film, which is described as another compelling entry from a filmmaker known for his unique style.
Schrader's character is an ambivalent loner who keeps a diary and wears a mask, reflecting on the possibility of change. The film, described as a clumsy but compelling entry, explores themes of redemption and the impact of past actions on the present.
The Venice Film Festival showcased the film in the out-of-competition section, with a runtime of 1 hour 34 minutes. The movie stars Jack Huston as John Jorrison, alongside Karl Glusman as the 17th-century philosopher Baruch Spinoza, with an ensemble cast including Sofia Boutella and Bill Pullman.
Despite the intellectual nature of the film, Schrader's work is praised for its compelling narrative, suggesting that it is possible for a man to change, as the ambivalent conclusion of the film suggests. The film's premiere at the Venice Film Festival marks a significant moment for Schrader's career, with the festival providing a platform for his latest artistic endeavor.
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- RELATED: Venice Film Festival 2026 Photos Day 3: ‘The Basics of Philosophy’ Premiere & More Okay, so if all of this sounds a bit too intellectual for a night out at the movies, think again.
- For probably the only time other than 2007’s “The Walker,” in which Woody Harrelson played a gay, male escort (not a gay male escort ) on Capitol Hill, Schrader infiltrates the homosexual world head-on with “The Basics of Philosophy.” But he has no clue how it operates, which leads to clunky but still fascinating material.
- You are invited to read “The Basics of Philosophy” as a reflection on, a mea culpa of, or at least an acknowledgment of that episode in his life.
- Jack Huston stars as university professor John Jorissen, a Spinoza academic who teaches a philosophy intro course to disaffected coeds at the fictional Ridgemont College in Missouri.
- By Scott Roxborough, Patrick Brzeski September 4, 2026 2:59pm Paul Schrader and the cast of The Basics of Philosophy got a warm reception at the film’s world premiere in Venice Friday night, with the 80-year-old director choking up as the credits rolled and the applause rose.
- He received an embrace from star Huston who offered his own applause in Schrader’s direction.
- pic.twitter.com/nYuoANMTLD The Basics of Philosophy continues Schrader’s obsession with the “Man in the Room” — the trope, first manifested in Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, that he has returned to again and again throughout his career.
- 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.