The Basics of Philosophy

John Jorissen is a reserved philosophy professor at a small college in the American Midwest. While teaching and writing a book about Baruch Spinoza, he struggles with a suppressed sense of guilt regarding a past transgression. This internal conflict intensifies when the victim of his previous actions suddenly reappears in his life, leading to a spiritual and emotional crisis. The narrative explores the tension between his academic life with his partner and her son and the tragic events involving his father and the son of a former gardener.

Written and directed by Paul Schrader, this drama is the 22nd film in his career, following the 2024 movie Oh, Canada. The cast features Jack Huston in the lead role, alongside Sofia Boutella, Daniel Zovatto, Shiloh Fernandez, Dana Delany, and Bill Pullman. Produced by David M. Wulf and Braxton Pope through companies including Carte Blanche and Redline Entertainment, the film has a runtime of 94 minutes. Based on a small number of entries, the movie holds a rating of 5.8 on TMDB.