Adam Resurrected
Adam Resurrected | |
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Directed by | Paul Schrader |
Screenplay by | Noah Stollman |
Based on | the novel by Yoram Kaniuk |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Sebastian Edschmid |
Edited by | Sandy Saffeels |
Music by | Gabriel Yared |
Production companies |
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Distributed by |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 106 min |
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Adam Resurrected (Hebrew: אדם בן כלב, romanized: Adam Ben Kelev) is a 2008 drama film directed by Paul Schrader and written by Noah Stollman based on a 1969 novel of the same name (he:אדם בן כלב) by Israeli author Yoram Kaniuk The title literally translates to Adam, Son of a Dog.[a]
, play supporting roles.Premise
The film, part of which is told through a series of flashbacks, follows the story of Adam Stein, a charismatic patient of a fictitious
Cast
- Jeff Goldblum - Adam Stein
- Willem Dafoe - Commandant Klein
- Derek Jacobi - Nathan Gross
- Ayelet Zurer - Gina Grey
- Hana Laszlo - Rachel Shwester
- Joachim Król - Abe Wolfowitz
- Jenya Dodina- Gretchen Stein
- Veronica Ferres - Frau Fogel
Release
The film was screened at several
Reception
Adam Resurrected received a mixed response from critics. Film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 35%, based on 37 reviews, with a rating average of 5.2/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Such an unusual tale might have made for a compelling drama, but Adam Resurrected suffers from narrative confusion and an emotional detachment at its core."[7] The website Metacritic gave the film a weighted average score of 58 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[8]
Adam Resurrected received several positive reviews. Gary Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times wrote: "In a less competitive year, Jeff Goldblum would have had a shot at an Oscar nod for his performance in Adam Resurrected, in which he plays Adam Stein, a mental patient irrevocably haunted by his Holocaust survival. This original drama is less glum than it might sound, thanks to Goldblum's spirited, go-for-broke portrayal and director Paul Schrader's distinctive translation of Noah Stollman's script."[4]
Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club graded the film a B, also praising Goldblum, whom he credits with a "stunning lead performance." He compared the film's concept with the "notorious unreleased Jerry Lewis monstrosity" that is The Day the Clown Cried, but that Goldblum's performance made Adam Resurrected work. Rabin writes: "Goldblum sells this wildly theatrical character through sheer magnetism. The otherworldly nature of his restless, nervous charisma has seldom been put to better use. Even when it flies off the rails deep into its third act, Resurrected remains strangely hypnotic."[5]
F. X. Feeney of LA Weekly gave a rave review. He compared the film's structure to Federico Fellini's classic 8½, writing: "Where Fellini made ecstasy contagious, Schrader is after much darker vistas — the mystery of how good men fail, and condemn themselves. One cannot recommend this film strongly enough."[3]
Stephen Holden of The New York Times gave the film a negative review, finding it unfunny and full of missed opportunities. "Savage gallows humor might have substituted for pathos. But Adam Resurrected feels so detached that there is not a laugh, nor even a wicked smirk of nihilistic glee, to be gleaned."[2]
See also
Notes
- son of a bitch".
References
- ^ Targumon. Distributor
- ^ a b Holden, Stephen (December 11, 2008). "Jeff Goldblum Plays a Holocaust Survivor in Paul Schrader's Film". The New York Times. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
- ^ a b Feeney, F. X. (December 17, 2008). "Adam Resurrected Peers into the Soul of a Condemned Man". LA Weekly. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
- ^ a b Goldstein, Gary (December 19, 2008). "Capsule Movie Reviews: 'Adam Resurrected'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on February 2, 2009. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
- ^ a b Rabin, Nathan (December 11, 2008). "Adam Resurrected". The A.V. Club. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
- ^ "Adam Resurrected - Festivals and Awards". Israel Film Center. Archived from the original on April 15, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
- ^ "Adam Resurrected (2008) - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
- ^ "Adam Resurrected Details and Credits - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
External links
- Adam Resurrected at IMDb