IRRATIONAL MAN: LOOKING FOR ANYTHING

Woody Allen has had a long standing yet rollercoaster styled career. He started out as a write, took to stand-up comedy, parlayed that into a film career that started slowly and pinnacled in the early 90s. That was about halfway through the 50 some movies he’s directed. Since that time he’s made movies that the critics continue to writer about lovingly while audiences dwindle. As a fan of many of his earlier films I’ve watched nearly all of them with interest but at the same time have found myself less than enthusiastic over his most recent output. For me they almost feel as if instead of making movies that are funny or observations of the things that have happened in his life and those around him, he takes an idea and tries to surround it with plot lines that don’t seem strong enough for a feature film but might make a good episode of a TV series.

Allen’s newest film is IRRATIONAL MAN, the story of Abe Lucas (Joaquin Phoenix), a philosophy professor arriving at small college in Rhode Island to take on a new job there under less than exciting circumstances. Lucas brings along with him a reputation for being an alcoholic and womanizer which has seen his standing among his peers lessen. Before he even teaches his first class at this new school the talk is already making the rounds of his past deeds among teachers and students alike.

Going through the daily routine of teaching a class he has little real interest in and drinking himself into a stupor at night, Lucas is just marking time in life. He begins an affair with fellow married professor Rita (Parker Posey) who finds him attractive both in his appearance and his reputation. But Lucas’ mindset causes him to fail in the bedroom (Viagra anyone?) much to his disappointment but not a problem for Rita. For her it’s the thrill of the situation as much as the sexual tension between them, the allure of the famous bad boy.

Then Lucas begins to draw closer to a young student named Jill Pollard (Emma Stone). Their relationship is purely platonic as Jill brings back the life to the shell of a man that Lucas had become. He begins to think about life and the world around him as he once did, inspired by the questions and conversations he has with Jill. All the while Jill finds herself drawn to him like a moth to a flame. She grows closer to him, abandoning a boyfriend in the process. When the two finally reach a romantic stage where it becomes physical both seem happy with one another.

But along with the change that Lucas has gone through with Jill and Rita as catalysts for that change he begins to use his brain once more. He starts to contemplate the various questions of life that we all face as well as questions of morality and right and wrong. He becomes the philosophy professor he once was again which leads him to a decision to do something that has ramifications on these three characters that most won’t see coming at first but that is too readily apparent before their conclusion.

While all of this might sound intriguing the fact is that by turning this idea into a 95 minute film it pads the story out and makes it move along at a snail’s pace. As with all of Allen’s films it looks fantastic from a cinematography viewpoint and all of the performances are well done. But nothing stands out. From the story to those performances nothing makes you wish you could go back and start this film from the beginning once more. It’s there but that’s about it.

I have been able to go back and watch films like SLEEPER, ANNIE HALL, STARDUST MEMORIES, ZELIG, BROADWAY DANNY ROSE and even RADIO DAYS more than once and still enjoy them all. But lately most films that Allen releases feel like this one, like he’s making them just to make another movie or to make enough to pay his bills without having any real feeling in them. From a day to day director one would expect that. From someone that many have hailed as one of the best it seems like a letdown. Rather than make a movie or two a year I would love to see Allen take the time to create something that honestly deserves his attention and affection. As long as movies like these are the ones being made my guess is that in 100 years they will be footnotes to his illustrious career. It’s not that it’s terrible or won’t make for a nice night’s viewing but it isn’t outstanding either. Here’s hoping he has at least one more great movie yet to film.

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