Four Rational People

The Emerson String Quartet. 47 years, 1000s of concerts, 9 Grammy awards, 1 final curtain.

Four Rational People — Plot

The Emerson String Quartet embarks on the final season of a fifty-year history that includes 9 GRAMMYs and thousands of concerts. Interweaving vivid memories with delicate observations of life on the road, the film explores the difficult decision to walk away from the things they cherish: the music they play and the friends they hold dear. At once a frank examination of the tyranny of aging and a cri de cœur to pass the torch to a new generation, the film culminates with one final performance, leaving all to ponder what happens to us after the final curtain.

• Release date
• December 17, 2025
• Runtime
• 113 min
• Genres
• Documentary, Music
• Director
• Tristan Cook