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The Emperor's Club

Name: The Emperor's Club
Genre: Drama
Released: 2002-11-22
Cast: Kevin Kline, Emile Hirsch, Jesse Eisenberg, Rishi Mehta, Paul Dano

2002 | 108 min | Drama

Weeknight Watch

Why it’s a Weeknight Watch

With middling reviews (50% on Rotten Tomatoes) and soft box office, it's a mixed bag. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for anyone who loves a strong drama.
The mood: Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace: Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 48 min.
What might put you off: Rated PG-13. Probably too much for younger kids.

William Hundert is a passionate and principled Classics professor who finds his tightly-controlled world shaken and inexorably altered when a new student, Sedgewick Bell, walks into his classroom. What begins as a fierce battle of wills gives way to a close student-teacher relationship, but results in a life lesson for Hundert that will still haunt him a quarter of a century later.

How it earned its rating

CriticsBelow par
50% on Rotten Tomatoes, 49 on Metacritic
AudiencesSolid
7.1 out of 10
AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
Box office & staying powerBelow par
$16 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 65K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Michael Hoffman

Kevin KlineWilliam Hundert
Emile HirschSedgewick Bell
Jesse EisenbergLouis Masoudi
Rishi MehtaDeepak Mehta
Paul DanoMartin Blythe
Rob MorrowJames Ellerby
Embeth DavidtzElizabeth
Edward HerrmannHeadmaster Woodbridge
Helen CareyMiss Johnston
Molly ReganMiss Peters