The Line

2024 / Dir. Ethan Berger / 100 minutes

In Ethan Berger’s feature debut The Line, a new pledge at a fictional college fraternity stubbornly refuses to play along with hazing rituals, creating a rift among the frat’s leadership and sparking dire consequences when things turn dark. This campus thriller provokes compelling questions about any environment where tradition trumps personal integrity: How far are you willing to go to protect (or sacrifice) your privileged status? What do you owe institutions—fraternities, corporations, political parties—that value loyalty and legacy above your own ethical standards? The film’s solid cast of young talent in Alex Wolff, Lewis Pullman, Halle Bailey, and Austin Abrams ground their characters in the specifics of this story while also serving as avatars for the many different ways people can approach problematic situations.