Insignificance

Insignificance

Year: 1985

Runtime: 110 mins

Language: English

Director: Nicolas Roeg

DramaComedy

An off‑beat comedy that examines life, death, sex and the cosmos through a meeting of four 1950s icons who never actually crossed paths. Set in post‑World War II America, the film weaves flashbacks and flash‑forwards around a fictional Einstein’s reflections, childhood memories and anxieties about the future, creating a striking modern fable.

Insignificance (1985) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

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In a restless, post‑World War II New York that feels both familiar and slightly surreal, a single night becomes a prism through which the film explores the biggest questions of existence—life, death, desire and the very structure of the universe. An off‑beat comedy‑drama, the story is built around a fanciful encounter of four cultural icons from the 1950s who, in reality, never shared a table. Their imagined meeting is framed by fleeting flashes of memory and speculative glimpses of the future, giving the narrative a dreamy, modern‑fable quality that constantly blurs the line between the ordinary and the extraordinary.

The Actress arrives with a magnetic blend of glamour and curiosity, wielding the optics of performance to probe deeper truths about fame and imagination. The Ballplayer, a symbol of mid‑century celebrity, carries the weight of personal expectation and the echo of a public life lived under constant scrutiny. The Professor is an introspective scientist whose abstract calculations hint at a broader cosmic order, yet he is also tethered to the anxieties of an era that demands loyalty and conformity. The Senator embodies the political pressures of the time, pressing the intellectual mind with questions of identity and duty that reverberate far beyond a single courtroom.

When these disparate personalities converge in a cramped hotel suite, their conversations become a lively dance of wit, flirtation, and uneasy alliances. The film’s tone shifts effortlessly from sly humor to contemplative reverie, using the characters’ quirks and the layered setting to ask how much of ourselves is shaped by the gaze of others and how much remains untouchable. The interplay of bright props—a fan, balloons, flashlights—serves as visual metaphors for the invisible forces that bind and repel them.

Through sharp dialogue and a visual style that feels both vintage and avant‑garde, the story invites viewers to contemplate the paradoxes of progress and intimacy. The night’s lingering questions about power, love, and the unseen currents of history linger long after the lights dim, promising a rich, thought‑provoking experience without revealing the outcomes that lie ahead.

Last Updated: December 04, 2025 at 15:56

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Surreal Historical Allegories like Insignificance

Films that use a dreamlike lens to reinterpret famous figures and events.If you enjoyed the dreamlike reinterpretation of historical figures in Insignificance, explore these other movies. This selection features films that use surrealism and allegory to explore history, similar to the thought-provoking storytelling in Insignificance.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread often feature non-linear structures, weaving together the lives of iconic characters in unexpected ways. They use historical settings not for accuracy, but as a canvas to explore deep philosophical and political themes through a postmodern, dreamlike filter.

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Movies are grouped here for their shared approach to history as a malleable concept. They prioritize mood, metaphor, and intellectual exploration over factual storytelling, creating a distinct vibe of thoughtful, surreal revisionism.

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Narrative Summary

These narratives follow characters burdened by responsibility or guilt, often tied to a pivotal, traumatic event. The central conflict is internal, a struggle with meaning and consequence, which unfolds through tense, reflective dialogue and culminates in an emotionally complex, bittersweet conclusion.

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These films are united by their profound emotional weight and their focus on existential themes. They share a specific tonal balance of high tension and heavy reflection, leading to endings that are neither purely bleak nor fully hopeful.

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Insignificance Summary

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Insignificance Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Insignificance

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Insignificance

More About Insignificance

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