Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- wistful
- nostalgic
- quiet evening
- college nostalgia night
What critics said
Critics generally found the film good-natured and clever in its treatment of nostalgia, though some wanted greater bite.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jesse returns to his Ohio college environment and is drawn toward the intensity and idealism he associates with his student years.
Jesse begins a relationship with nineteen-year-old undergraduate Zibby despite their sixteen-year age difference.
Jesse's encounters with Hoberg, Fairfield, Dean, Nat, and Zibby make the university a network of contrasting intellectual and emotional possibilities.
Jesse and Zibby's relationship develops partly through letters, making written communication central to their connection.
Films like Liberal Arts, and why
The Graduate
introspective romantic comedy centered on an emotionally adrift adult confronting nostalgia and mismatched life stages
500 Days of Summer
literary, wistful relationship drama about idealism, adulthood, and romantic incompatibility
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
warm collegiate dramedy pairing intellectual self-discovery with youthful romance and personal uncertainty
Movie Details
- Director
- Josh Radnor
- Release Date
- 2012-09-14
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (592)
Cast
- Josh Radnor
- Elizabeth Olsen
- Richard Jenkins
- John Magaro
- Zac Efron
- Allison Janney
- Elizabeth Reaser
- Kate Burton
- Robert Desiderio
- Kristen Bush
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, Sundance Now
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Liberal Arts about?
- A jaded literary admissions officer revisits his Ohio college and becomes entangled in a nostalgic romance that forces him to reconsider adulthood.
- What is Liberal Arts like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Liberal Arts as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Liberal Arts violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Liberal Arts.
- What did critics think of Liberal Arts?
- Critics generally found the film good-natured and clever in its treatment of nostalgia, though some wanted greater bite.
- Which films are like Liberal Arts?
- Films with a similar feel include The Graduate, 500 Days of Summer, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
- How long is Liberal Arts?
- Liberal Arts runs 97 minutes.
- Where can I watch Liberal Arts?
- In United States, Liberal Arts streams on Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, Sundance Now.
