Irrational Man

Philosophy professor Abe Lucas 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, a lonely professor who wants him to rescue her from her unhappy marriage; and Jill Pollard, his best student, who becomes his closest friend. While Jill loves her boyfriend Roy, she finds Abe’s tortured, artistic personality and exotic past irresistible.
“IRRATIONAL MAN moves along at such a jaunty pace that it takes a while to realise there are very few jokes here. Stone gives a vivacious performance, while Posey is in fine comic groove as the married woman desperate for anything approaching excitement. Phoenix, meanwhile, brings enough crumpled charm to his role to atone for Abe’s chronic self-pity.” (Geoffrey Macnab)