Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- sardonic
- intellectually restless
- morally tense
- arthouse movie night
- woody allen retrospective
What critics said
Critics generally found the film an underpowered, minor Woody Allen effort whose philosophical crime premise was more intriguing than its execution.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Abe is introduced as a disillusioned philosophy professor whose despair about changing the world shapes his choices.
A chance overheard diner conversation changes Abe and Jill's lives and initiates the crime-centered plot.
Abe's professional identity as a philosophy professor is directly tested when moral theory collides with real-world action.
Abe's attraction to his bright student Jill develops within a platonic relationship marked by unequal status.
Films like Irrational Man, and why
Crimes and Misdemeanors
Shared philosophical drama, moral transgression, academic setting, and darkly comic treatment of existential crisis.
Match Point
Shared woody allen blend of romantic comedy, mystery, ethical anxiety, and an educated protagonist drawn toward criminal behavior.
The Cassandra Crossing
Shared crime mystery structure, existential themes, mordant humor, and psychologically compromised central character.
The Squid and the Whale
Shared collegiate setting, intellectualized romance, neurotic comedy, and uneasy moral tension.
Movie Details
- Director
- Woody Allen
- Release Date
- 2015-07-17
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (2517)
Cast
- Joaquin Phoenix
- Emma Stone
- Jamie Blackley
- Parker Posey
- Joe Stapleton
- Jack Haven
- Ethan Phillips
- Betsy Aidem
- Paula Plum
- Allison Gallerani
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Irrational Man about?
- A disillusioned philosophy professor finds a dangerous sense of purpose after an overheard conversation draws him and a student into a morally destabilizing mystery.
- What is Irrational Man like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Irrational Man as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Irrational Man violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Irrational Man as mild.
- What did critics think of Irrational Man?
- Critics generally found the film an underpowered, minor Woody Allen effort whose philosophical crime premise was more intriguing than its execution.
- Which films are like Irrational Man?
- Films with a similar feel include Crimes and Misdemeanors, Match Point, The Cassandra Crossing, and The Squid and the Whale.
- How long is Irrational Man?
- Irrational Man runs 95 minutes.
- Where can I watch Irrational Man?
- In United States, Irrational Man streams on Howdy Amazon Channel.
