Irrational Man
Woody Allen's IRRATIONAL MAN is about a tormented philosophy professor who finds a will to live when he commits an existential act. Philosophy professor Abe Lucas (Joaquin Phoenix) is at rock bottom emotionally, unable to find any meaning or joy in life. Abe feels that everything he's tried to do, from political activism to teaching, hasn't made any difference.
Soon after arriving to teach at a small-town college, Abe gets involved with two women: Rita Richards (Parker Posey), a lonely professor who wants him to rescue her from her unhappy marriage; and Jill Pollard (Emma Stone), his best student, who becomes his closest friend. While Jill loves her boyfriend Roy (Jamie Blackley), she finds Abe's tortured, artistic personality and exotic past irresistible. Even as Abe displays signs of mental imbalance, Jill's fascination with him only grows. Still, when she tries to make their relationship a romantic one, he rebuffs her.
Critic Reviews:
- " Irrational Man will seem familiar, but make no mistake, this is a top-shelf offering from a master filmmaker. " – Michael J. Casey
- " Allen's writing is often best when his character's morality is in play and here it definitely is. " – Erik Anderson
- " Allen gives us another big profile of a read, successful and sinister man, one of his great strengths as an author. " – Daniel Krauze