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Liberal Arts

Liberal Arts

Romance · Comedy · Drama · 2012

Newly single, 35, and uninspired by his job, Jesse Fisher worries that his best days are behind him. But no matter how much he buries his head in a book, life keeps pulling Jesse back. When his favorite college professor invites him to campus to speak at his retirement dinner, Jesse jumps at the chance.

Movie details

Liberal Arts

“Sometimes students make the best teachers.”

2012 Romance · Comedy · Drama 1h 37m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.5 / 10

Community rating

Newly single, 35, and uninspired by his job, Jesse Fisher worries that his best days are behind him. But no matter how much he buries his head in a book, life keeps pulling Jesse back. When his favorite college professor invites him to campus to speak at his retirement dinner, Jesse jumps at the chance.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Liberal Arts?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Josh Radnor

Written by

Josh Radnor

Josh Radnor

Josh Radnor

Jesse Fisher

Elizabeth Olsen

Elizabeth Olsen

Zibby

Richard Jenkins

Richard Jenkins

Professor Peter Hoberg

John Magaro

John Magaro

Dean

Zac Efron

Zac Efron

Nat

Allison Janney

Allison Janney

Professor Judith Fairfield

Elizabeth Reaser

Elizabeth Reaser

Ana

Court is in session

Put Liberal Arts on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.