Liberal Arts

Writer/director Josh Radnor's sophomore feature sees him also play Jesse, a detached but well-meaning 30-something university admissions officer recently dumped by his long-term partner. When he's invited to his alma mater to attend his old professor (Jenkins)'s retirement do, he's immediately bewitched by student Zibby (Olsen). Perturbed, Jesse returns home to wrestle the philosophical implications of their mutual attraction – is she mature or is he stunted?

Radnor takes witty swipes at a pretentious cultural elite so intent on reading about the meaning of life they neglect discovering it for themselves, and he and Olsen craft rounded protagonists, striking a balance between infuriating and sweet. The aimlessness of postgraduates slipping into early-middle-age is also a cute topic to address, although it could have been afforded greater subtlety: too often characters are left to clumsily outline key themes to each other, which grates against the otherwise smart and funny script. A perfectly engaging, thoughtful piece perhaps in need of a different voice behind the camera. [Chris Fyvie]