'The Basics of Philosophy' Review: Paul Schrader's Guilt-Ridden College Drama Poses Thorny Questions About Its Own Existence

In April 2025, director Paul Schrader was accused of sexual assault and harassment by a former assistant. By June, he began production on "The Basics of Philosophy," a mournful admission that feels tethered to these developments, directly or otherwise. The script was written before the allegations were made public, but its tale of an accused college professor in search of absolution feels especially personal (not to mention, especially uncomfortable) in this light. The result is a film whose text and subtext are undoubtedly riveting, but whose meta-text - the story of its creation, and . . .