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‘The Basics of Philosophy’ Review: Paul Schrader Wrestles with Sin and Spinoza in His Latest Tortured-Man Drama

Variety 04 September 2026 2h ago
‘The Basics of Philosophy’ Review: Paul Schrader Wrestles with Sin and Spinoza in His Latest Tortured-Man Drama
57
Relevance
3/25
Freshness
25/25
Authority
18/20
Brand Signal
6/15
Depth
5/15
Relevance Freshness Authority Brand Depth
Another man, another room, another vile past deed in need of expiation. On the one hand you could accuse writer-director Paul Schrader of retreading old ground with his latest unadorned exploration of guilt, transgression and the intellectual work that a sinner must do in order to seek redemption for his sins. On the other hand, […]
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