Overview
- Set at Yale, the drama follows professor Alma (Julia Roberts) as her protégé (Ayo Edebiri) accuses a colleague (Andrew Garfield) of sexual assault, thrusting Alma into an ethical and professional dilemma.
- The film continues its rollout after Venice, NYFF and LFF, expanding to more U.S. theaters around Oct. 17 following select engagements earlier in the month.
- Critics broadly commend Roberts and Edebiri, with some noting Michael Stuhlbarg’s support, but many find the narrative repetitive or underdeveloped and point to perceived generational bias.
- Reviews highlight Malik Hassan Sayeed’s cinematography and a Trent Reznor–Atticus Ross score, though several outlets flag abrasive sound mixing and an overbearing audio balance.
- Guadagnino and the cast frame the movie as intentionally ambiguous on questions of power, privilege and mentorship, even as festival-era controversy and an awards-season push keep it in the spotlight.