The Basics of Philosophy (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

The Basics of Philosophy is a 2026 drama written and directed by Paul Schrader. It follows a repressed philosophy professor whose unresolved guilt resurfaces when the victim of a past decision unexpectedly returns to his life.

The Basics of Philosophy is a 2026 drama written and directed by Paul Schrader. The film centers on a philosophy professor carrying unresolved guilt from an earlier decision.

That burden becomes immediate when the person connected to his past reappears. With a 1-hour, 34-minute runtime and an English-language setting in the United States, the film is built around personal confrontation and moral reckoning.

The Basics of Philosophy movie details

Story without spoilers

The story follows a repressed philosophy professor who has been living with lingering guilt over a decision made in his past. His carefully contained life is disrupted when the victim of that decision suddenly returns.

The premise places the professor in a difficult emotional and ethical position as he faces the consequences of what happened. The supplied synopsis keeps the surrounding circumstances private, so the film’s central tension rests on the return itself and the questions it forces into the present.

What to expect

As a drama, The Basics of Philosophy is centered on character conflict rather than a broad genre setup. Its premise suggests a story about guilt, memory and the pressure created when a buried part of someone’s past becomes impossible to avoid.

The film’s 94-minute runtime indicates a relatively focused presentation. Because the available synopsis reveals only the central situation, viewers should expect the story to develop through the professor’s confrontation with his past without assuming details about the outcome or the nature of the original decision.

Cast and creative team

Paul Schrader serves as both director and writer. Bill Pullman plays Melvyn Jorrisen, the philosophy professor at the center of the story. Dana Delany appears as Gloria, while Sofia Boutella plays Rebecca Richards and Jack Huston plays John Jorrisen.

The cast also includes Karl Glusman as Baruch Spinoza, Daniel Zovatto as Miguel Vasque, Shiloh Fernandez as Claude, Jamie Addison as Janine, Brandon Davis as Coach Andrews and Rufus Burns as Robert.

• Dana Delany as Gloria
• Bill Pullman as Melvyn Jorrisen
• Sofia Boutella as Rebecca Richards
• Jack Huston as John Jorrisen
• Karl Glusman as Baruch Spinoza
• Daniel Zovatto as Miguel Vasque
• Shiloh Fernandez as Claude
• Jamie Addison as Janine
• Brandon Davis as Coach Andrews
• Rufus Burns as Robert

Release and production context

The Basics of Philosophy is listed as a United States production with English as its spoken language. It has a listed release date of September 4, 2026, and a runtime of 1 hour and 34 minutes. The film is associated with Redline Entertainment, Paul Schrader Productions, Film Maudit, Talon Entertainment Finance, Convergent Media, Jeff Rice Films, Carte Blanche and Seen Entertainment.

Production companies: Redline Entertainment, Paul Schrader Productions, Film Maudit, Talon Entertainment Finance, Convergent Media, Jeff Rice Films, Carte Blanche, Seen Entertainment

Movies Dock view

With its compact runtime and premise focused on a professor confronting the person tied to his past, The Basics of Philosophy presents a contained dramatic setup. The available details establish the central conflict and principal cast while leaving the story’s resolution undisclosed.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb