Film Forum

Willem Dafoe is Ed Saxberger, a postal worker whose former life as a downtown poet in late-70s New York is rediscovered by a young admirer (Donovan) and his “Enthusiasm Society,” a group of 20-somethings with a comically romanticized sense of the past. In the company of his new friends, including the mysterious and mercurial Gloria (Lee of PAST LIVES), Ed has the uncanny feeling of merging with his younger self. Directed by Kent Jones (DIANE) from a witty, razor-sharp script by Samy Burch (MAY DECEMBER), LATE FAME is a funny, lively, poignant, and occasionally haunting New York story.

Presented with support from The Ada Katz Fund for Literature in Film

2025     96 MIN.     USA     MAGNOLIA PICTURES

Trailer

Reviews

“Lyrical and enchanting... Dafoe’s performance is like a slowly unfolding wildflower.”
– Owen Gleiberman, Variety

“Willem Dafoe is low key and magnificent as a former poet seemingly rescued from obscurity... In a prolific career filled with complex and striking characters, the role of Ed Saxberger is a subdued but particularly rich one for Dafoe, himself a veteran of the downtown arts scene.”
– Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter

“LATE FAME is a deliciously acidic examination of the thin line between creative aspiration and pretentious poseurdom.”
– Wendy Ide, Screen International

 

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