See it at the Movies

IRRATIONAL MAN

with Joyce & Don Fowler
Posted 8/14/15

* * *

(Mixture of morality, murder and philosophy)

Joaquin Phoenix plays Abe Lucas, a heavy drinking, depressed, suicidal philosophy professor who takes a job at a Newport college (filmed at …

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See it at the Movies

IRRATIONAL MAN

Posted

* * *

(Mixture of morality, murder and philosophy)

Joaquin Phoenix plays Abe Lucas, a heavy drinking, depressed, suicidal philosophy professor who takes a job at a Newport college (filmed at Salve Regina). He becomes involved with Rita, another teacher (Parker Posey) and Jill, a student (Emma Stone), having unsuccessful sex with Rita and rejecting the advances of Jill. At one point Abe shocks a group of students by playing Russian roulette. He carries a flask of whiskey with him at all times.

The Woody Allen film is a bit too talky, using voiceovers to fill in the thoughts of Abe and Jill and expounding a bit more philosophy than we care to hear.

Things pick up a bit when Abe overhears a conversation about a corrupt judge who has many enemies and deserves to die. At last, Abe has found a reason for living. He can pull off the perfect crime. He has no connection with the man and would never be a suspect. His life would then have a purpose.

How Abe carries out the “perfect crime” and how everyone tries to figure out whodunnit is interesting, adding some dark humor to the drama.

We do have to listen to some of Allen’s pontifications, which we’ve heard before.

The acting is good, but the star of the movie is the background music: Ramsey Lewis’ “The In Crowd.”

Rated R, with some sex and profanity.

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