Over spring break, while GW students sought out sun and surf, I, too, contemplated the prospect of taking a brief respite by sleeping in, eating out and going to the movies.
Despite the best of intentions, I managed to see only one film – Joseph Cedar’s, Oscar-nominated Footnote – which turned out to be the cinematic equivalent of a busman’s holiday.
Situated within the physical and emotional landscape of the scholarly life, Footnote casts a sharp and knowing eye on the tools of the trade, from the microfiche reader that burns the retina to the barbs that singe the spirit. And everywhere, books, books and more books, whose presence is at once comforting and menacing.
At the same time, the film also movingly conveys the passions and, yes, the joy that scholars derive from their work, even if no one seems to notice. Tending the groves of academe, we come to understand, is a high stakes enterprise.
Little wonder, then, that Footnote has received deservedly lavish praise from the critics. A dark comedy of manners and a domestic drama rolled into one, the film is a must-see.
Bring your favorite professor along for the ride.
