Review of Irrational Man (2015) by Patrick L — 19 Aug 2015

"Irrational Man is another forgettable misfire from the legendary Woody Allen".

Movie Review: Irrational Man.

Date Viewed: August 12 2015.

Written and Directed By Woody Allen (Annie Hall, Blue Jasmine, Midnight in Paris, Hannah and Her Sisters and Vicki Christina Barcelona).

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Parker Posey and Jamie Blackley.

He's almost turning 80 but writer and director Woody Allen isn't slowing down. However, he continues to do more mediocre efforts. His latest film, "Irrational Man" is about a burned-out college professor who finally finds a new purpose in life, killing a court judge. Allen may have bounced back in the last few years with "Midnight in Paris" and "Blue Jasmine" but his string of mediocre efforts continues to plague his legendary career.

"Irrational Man" is set in a small-town where we meet brilliant professor Abe Lucas (Joaquin Phoenix). He is in a existential crisis, he feels he doesn't have any purpose on Earth. He has a substantial alcohol problem and he nearly kills himself by trying to demonstrate Russian roulette to a group of students. He soon finds a new purpose in life when he enters into a relationship with one of his students, Jill Pollard (Emma Stone). Abe finds another purpose when he and Jill overhear a conversation where a divorced mother describes that she will lose her children in a custody fight because the court judge is being unfair to her.

What does Abe intend to do? He wants to murder the judge. Abe spies on the judge everyday learning about his daily routine, he goes out for a run, buys a cup of orange juice and he sits down at a park bench reading the newspaper. At the right moment, Abe poisons the judge by putting cyanide in his orange juice. By the making the world a better place, Abe is no longer depressed and he enjoys his new life with Jill.

The acting is good here and there are some funny one-liners but I wish that Allen would turn the story around and make it fresh. Besides, "Irrational Man" is sort of ripping off two of Allen's own movies, "Manhattan Murder Mystery" and "Scoop". When the next Woody Allen film comes along, we won't remember "Irrational Man" even existed.