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Late Fame

Play trailer Late Fame 2025 1h 36m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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85% Tomatometer 27 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Ratings
Ed Saxberger, a forgotten New York poet, works in the post office. After an eager and flattering young admirer appears on his doorstep, Saxberger is beckoned into a coterie of twentysomething admirers who anoint him as a rediscovered genius. Intoxicated by the attention -- and by the alluring presence of Gloria, the group’s “tragic heroine” -- Saxberger gradually reckons with the authenticity of his newfound poetic circle. This thoughtful, witty film is a wistful yet unromantic look at a lost idea of downtown New York.

Critics Reviews

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Zachary Barnes Wall Street Journal Oct 16
It’s based on a novel written in the 1890s by the Austrian writer Arthur Schnitzler, and the adaptation’s transposition of time and place comes off as anachronistic and unconvincing Go to Full Review Jourdain Searles RogerEbert.com Oct 9
The classic theatricality of its characters juxtaposed with the modern world gives 'Late Fame' the feeling of a eulogy for an artistic world that young idealists desperately want to revive. Go to Full Review Marshall Shaffer Slant Magazine Sep 7
2/4
Its desire to resist easy storytelling paradigms around artists is admirable, but without punching up or down, the film feels like it’s pulling punches altogether. Go to Full Review Olga Artemyeva ScreenAnarchy 4d
A bittersweet and at times painfully funny film about the horrors of desperately needing validation after receiving a small dose of it. At the same time, Late Fame is a very quiet movie that studiously avoids boisterous narrative stereotypes. Go to Full Review Cameron Ritter Geek Vibes Nation Nov 10
7.5/10
Kent Jones takes advantage of an incredible script by Samy Burch (May December) to bring us the charming and emotional Late Fame. Dafoe’s performance is definitely the stand-out, offering audiences a side of him that we don’t often get to see Go to Full Review Abe Beame In Review Online Oct 31
Jones applies a satirist’s acerbic eye to what has become of SoHo and its children... and the result is an often hilarious comedy of manners. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Cast & Crew

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Kent Jones

Director

Willem Dafoe

Actor

Greta Lee

Actor

Edmund Donovan

Actor

Samy Burch

Screenwriter

Pamela Koffler

Producer
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Late Fame

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Movie Info

Synopsis Ed Saxberger, a forgotten New York poet, works in the post office. After an eager and flattering young admirer appears on his doorstep, Saxberger is beckoned into a coterie of twentysomething admirers who anoint him as a rediscovered genius. Intoxicated by the attention -- and by the alluring presence of Gloria, the group’s “tragic heroine” -- Saxberger gradually reckons with the authenticity of his newfound poetic circle. This thoughtful, witty film is a wistful yet unromantic look at a lost idea of downtown New York.
Director
Kent Jones
Producer
Pamela Koffler, Mason Plotts, Christine Vachon, Danny Roberts, H.S. Naji, Jackie Langelier
Screenwriter
Samy Burch
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 36m