Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

The Adversary

Play trailer Poster for The Adversary 1970 1h 50m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
100% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
A recent college graduate struggles to find a job and moves back in with his family. The strain of living with his younger sister, revolutionary brother and widowed mother causes him to hallucinate.

Critics Reviews

View All (7) Critics Reviews
Vincent Canby New York Times The Adversary moves so quietly, with such seeming politeness to jaded film senses, that it takes a while to realize that for all its somberness it's a particularly moving comedy. Rated: 4.5/5 Oct 24, 2007 Full Review Don Druker Chicago Reader Ray's incredible warmth and superbly understated visual style can charm even those (like me) who don't find his films particularly compelling. Oct 24, 2007 Full Review Jimmy Cage Jimmy Cage Movie Reviews (YouTube) THE ADVERSARY shows us a slightly different side of Satyajit Ray. Erratic, daring, less poetic and a little more distant, but with just as much sensitivity for time, place and characters. Rated: 8/10 Apr 8, 2022 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Beautifully observed political film of disenfranchisement. Rated: A- Feb 18, 2011 Full Review TV Guide An often powerful story from Satyajit Ray. Rated: 2.5/4 Aug 29, 2006 Full Review Film4 Staff Film4 Once you get to grips with the frustration and determination of the film's hero, the points Ray is making about society become increasingly accessible. It's a major piece of work. Mar 4, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (14) audience reviews
Audience Member Satyajit Ray's oeuvre includes not only lyrical neorealist classics such as Pather Panchali and the other films of the Apu Trilogy but other films that feel a lot more like psychodramas (e.g., Charulata). Pratidwandi (The Adversary) falls into this latter category, getting us into the mind of the protagonist, Siddhartha Chaudhuri, as he searches rather hopelessly for a job after giving up on medical school. We see his resistance to those in authority but we don't gain much insight into its aetiology. His father has died and he needs to take care of his family but many of his friends seem as aimless as he does (although he seems smarter and more thoughtful). As his empty fruitless days begin to run together, his mind starts to wander - and we are treated to brief inserts of medical school lectures, "negative" images, and other non-realistic interruptions. When he accidentally meets a young woman who he could be interested in, he seems to get a grip (although she may be losing hers). In the end, the episode may have passed, and could be a rite of passage (in fact) or Ray may be commenting on the problems of youth in contemporary society more broadly. As a moody character study, it works. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member My favorite film of Ray yet. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Mindblowing! One of the most impressive films I have ever seen. Dhritiman Chatterjee as Siddhartha (the protagonist) was just brilliant. Ray's immortal cinematic style, breathtaking sound design & superb cinematography enriched it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/15/23 Full Review Debsuvra G 43 years have passed after the movie was launched - I couldn't believe how amazingly I could connect to the protagonist of the movie. The more you watch Ray's movies the deeper you delve into his genius. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/20/13 Full Review Audience Member Ending makes me remind it forever..... Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member ray's experimental directing in this movie can only be described as a work of art,nothing else Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Adversary

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Five Easy Pieces 89% 84% Five Easy Pieces Watchlist The Last Picture Show 98% 89% The Last Picture Show Watchlist Midnight Cowboy 89% 88% Midnight Cowboy Watchlist I Never Sang for My Father 100% 83% I Never Sang for My Father Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis A recent college graduate struggles to find a job and moves back in with his family. The strain of living with his younger sister, revolutionary brother and widowed mother causes him to hallucinate.
Director
Satyajit Ray
Producer
Asim Dutta, Nepal Dutta
Screenwriter
Satyajit Ray
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 50m