Film Review: Liberal Arts

Director: Josh Radnor

Many people know Josh Radnor as Ted Mosby from the hit TV comedy How I Met Your Mother but this film represents his second film where he has taken up the roles of director, producer and main actor. His first film Happythankyoumoreplease was written in his early days on the show and the film opened to mixed reviews but Liberal Arts seemed to be more appreciated by the critics.

Jesse Fisher (Radnor) is a 35 year old college admissions officer who loves literature and reading the classics, his life is filled with people who have the same opinions as he does on life especially one of his old lecturers Peter (Richard Jenkins). After meeting Zibby (Olsen) who is only 19 years old and studying drama at his old University a spark happens between them after they agree to write to each other that changes his world.

Jesse (Josh Radnor) and Zibby (Elizabeth Olsen)

Liberal Arts is an intelligent romantic drama that believes that college isn't just a time for partying like most films churned out by Hollywood in recent years. But as the film progresses it turns out to be a little less daring in its approach than we originally thought, the final act is rather a damp squib and the main character of Jesse seems to make quite a few unfathomable decisions that makes you question the movie. Olsen's acting seems very natural and real which helps the movie but the star performance is from Zac Efron in a minor role as Nat who Jesse runs into at his old campus.

Radnor clearly had a lot of decent ideas coming into this movie but quite a few are poorly thought out and under developed, the relationship with his former lecturer Judith Fairfield (played by Allison Janney) seemed superfluous with less background behind it and the story surrounding Dean (John Magaro) was critically under utilized which is a shame because it had great potential. Radnor is clearly still learning his trade behind the camera and certainly has potential.

2/4 Sweet natured but disappointing fare