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Seneca

Play trailer Poster for Seneca 2023 1h 50m History Drama Biography Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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29% Tomatometer 7 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Ratings
Rome in 65 AD, the philosopher Seneca has been Emperor Nero‘s teacher, mentor and close advisor since childhood, he is significantly involved in his ascent. Nevertheless, Nero gets weary of Seneca and Nero uses a foiled attack on his life to falsely accuse Seneca of being an accomplice. While throwing a decadent party at his farmhouse, Seneca receives his surprising death sentence of Emperor Nero, delivered by a messenger. He must be dead by morning. He accepts his fate and, like Socrates, wants to depart from life after proffering a final lesson of his life philosophy to his followers. This last night becomes his final test: Who is he really? An opportunist, hypocrite and collaborator or, according to his selfimage, a morally upright, wise man looking death in the face without any fear?
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Seneca

Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide Screen International It’s a film that features a lot of empty posturing, extravagant wigs, distracting set design full of stuff that is inexplicably on fire in the background, and numerous over-masticated performances. Feb 21, 2023 Full Review Stephen Farber The Hollywood Reporter The problem is with the underlying conception. Schwentke’s attempt to create a parable of the decline of the American empire seems mainly forced and fatuous. Feb 21, 2023 Full Review Stephanie Bunbury Deadline Hollywood Daily As a performance, it has at least the strength of dogged determination. As a film, however, Seneca is almost unendurable. Oct 25, 2023 Full Review Sarah Manvel Critic's Notebook Pretentious teenagers who fancy themselves deep thinkers and film viewers who love an insane time will swallow this beautiful monstrosity whole. God bless “Seneca” and all who sail in her, and may it not be the last time we see Julian Sands on screen. Mar 15, 2023 Full Review Luke Gorham In Review Online Seneca — On the Creation of Earthquakes is roughly as audience-unfriendly as films come, sometimes to its benefit, but mostly otherwise. Mar 6, 2023 Full Review Anna Bogutskaya The Playlist John Malkovich is an actor so adept at delivering seething, blistering contempt that he makes the film almost watchable. Rated: D Feb 25, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Robert Schwentke

Director

John Malkovich

Seneca

Tom Xander

Nero

Louis Hofmann

Lucilius

Geraldine Chaplin

Cecilia

Wolfram Koch

Fabius
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Seneca

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Movie Info

Synopsis Rome in 65 AD, the philosopher Seneca has been Emperor Nero‘s teacher, mentor and close advisor since childhood, he is significantly involved in his ascent. Nevertheless, Nero gets weary of Seneca and Nero uses a foiled attack on his life to falsely accuse Seneca of being an accomplice. While throwing a decadent party at his farmhouse, Seneca receives his surprising death sentence of Emperor Nero, delivered by a messenger. He must be dead by morning. He accepts his fate and, like Socrates, wants to depart from life after proffering a final lesson of his life philosophy to his followers. This last night becomes his final test: Who is he really? An opportunist, hypocrite and collaborator or, according to his selfimage, a morally upright, wise man looking death in the face without any fear?
Director
Robert Schwentke
Producer
Karim Debbagh, Frieder Schlaich, Irene von Alberti
Screenwriter
Robert Schwentke, Matthew Wilder, Robert Schwentke, Matthew Wilder
Distributor
Freestyle Digital Media
Production Co
Filmgalerie 451, Kasbah Films
Genre
History, Drama, Biography, Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 8, 2025
Runtime
1h 50m
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