Irrational Man (film)
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Irrational Man is a 2015 American crime mystery drama film written and directed by Woody Allen, and starring Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Parker Posey and Jamie Blackley. The film was released on July 17, 2015, by Sony Pictures Classics in a limited release, later expanding wider.
Plot
Philosophy professor Abe Lucas joins the faculty at a small-town New England college campus. Abe is experiencing an existential crisis. He is depressed, sees no meaning in his life, and drinks excessively. Despite this, he catches the eye of two women: chemistry professor Rita Richards, and Jill Pollard, one of his students. Jill has a serious boyfriend and lives with her parents. Rita lives with her husband, but is dissatisfied with her marriage. Abe chooses to sleep with Rita but is careful to have only a platonic relationship with Jill. Abe's depression becomes even more apparent when he cannot get an erection during his first sexual experience with Rita.
At lunch in a diner, Abe and Jill overhear a conversation in the next booth; a woman says she will lose her children in a custody battle because of an unethical judge in family court. Abe is troubled by the injustice and decides to secretly help the woman by murdering the judge. Abe reasons he is unlikely to be caught because he does not know the judge. Having found a new purpose in life, his depression is lifted. He becomes happier and is able to have sex with Rita. He follows the judge for a while to learn his habits. After his weekly jog, the judge always buys a juice and sits on a bench to cool down. Abe decides that the best way to kill him is to poison him. He steals a key to the college's chemistry lab from Rita where he procures cyanide. He buys a juice from the same place the judge stops at, puts the poison in his juice cup, sits down on the same bench, then switches the juices while the judge is distracted. The judge dies from cyanide poisoning. Abe feels reborn, telling himself he has finally done something worthwhile by ridding the world of an evil man. Abe and Jill's friendship blossoms into a romance. Jill's boyfriend Roy learns of the relationship and breaks up with her.
Despite Abe's careful planning, Jill and Rita, who are friendly, begin to suspect Abe's involvement in the murder after piecing together clues, such as the missing key and Abe's presence in the chemistry lab. Rita decides that even if he is guilty, she wants to leave her husband and live with Abe.
Jill enters Abe's house through a window and finds incriminating notes. She confronts him and Abe admits his guilt. Jill decides to break off their relationship. After an innocent man is accused of the crime, she presses Abe to go to the police, warning him that she will report him. Abe, who has recently started enjoying life, attempts to kill Jill by pushing her into an elevator shaft, but stumbles backward and falls down the shaft to his death. The film ends with Jill, who has reconciled with Roy, gazing out to sea and reflecting on her experiences with Abe.
Cast
- Joaquin Phoenix as Abe Lucas
- Emma Stone as Jill Pollard
- Parker Posey as Rita Richards
- Jamie Blackley as Roy
- Betsey Aidem as Jill's mother
- Ethan Phillips as Jill's father
- Sophie von Haselberg as April
- Susan Pourfar as Carol
- Joe Stapleton as Professor
- Brigette Lundy-Paine as Braylin Student
- Tamara Hickey as Professor in Cafeteria
- Ben Rosenfield as April's Friend
- Meredith Hagner as Sandy
