Footnote
A bitterly funny Israeli family drama turns a prestigious scholarly prize into an explosive test of paternal pride, academic status, and recognition.
Overview
A darkly comedic exploration of familial rivalry set in the academic world of Jerusalem.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- witty
- sardonic
- bittersweet
- thoughtful movie night
- international cinema night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as an audacious, sharply written tragicomedy with outstanding performances and rich commentary on academia, family life, Zionism, and language.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Eliezer and Uriel are father and son competing for recognition within the Talmud department and around the Israel Prize.
The prize committee's mistake becomes an earth-shaking battle in the protagonists' emotional lives, combining black humor with heightened drama.
The Talmud department and competing attitudes toward academic establishment define both men's sense of self and recognition.
The Israel Prize serves as the decisive catalyst for the father-son confrontation and the surrounding academic intrigue.
Films like Footnote, and why
The Squid and the Whale
tragicomedy about intellectual rivalry, institutional recognition, and family tension
The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)
sharp family conflict shaped by academic ambition, cultural identity, and uncomfortable humor
The Royal Tenenbaums
bittersweet father son drama using status competition and darkly comic social observation
The Professor and the Madman
wry institutional satire centered on scholarship, recognition, and interpersonal rivalry
Movie Details
- Director
- Joseph Cedar
- Release Date
- 2011-05-25
- Runtime
- 102 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (79)
Cast
- Shlomo Bar-Aba
- Lior Ashkenazi
- Aliza Rosen
- Alma Zak
- Micah Lewensohn
- Nevo Kimchi
- Yuval Scharf
- Daniel Markovich
- Tsipi Gal
- Michael Koresh
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Footnote about?
- A bitterly funny Israeli family drama turns a prestigious scholarly prize into an explosive test of paternal pride, academic status, and recognition.
- What is Footnote like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Footnote as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Footnote violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Footnote.
- What did critics think of Footnote?
- Critics broadly praised the film as an audacious, sharply written tragicomedy with outstanding performances and rich commentary on academia, family life, Zionism, and language.
- Which films are like Footnote?
- Films with a similar feel include The Squid and the Whale, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), The Royal Tenenbaums, and The Professor and the Madman.
- How long is Footnote?
- Footnote runs 102 minutes.
- Where can I watch Footnote?
- In United States, Footnote is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
