Cannes Review: Woody Allen's Irrational Man

Woody Allen wrote and directed his latest feature film, "Irrational Man," which just premiered at Cannes today.  Woody Allen tackles the themes of Crime and Punishment in a quirky caper about murder and morality. Abe, a depressed, hard-drinking philosophy professor played by Joaquin Phoenix, befriends one of his students, played by Emma Stone.  Their friendship turns to romance as Abe's malaise is lifted when he decides to commit the perfect murder of a corrupt judge.  The weighty topics of morality, murder and love are treated in Woody's characteristic breezy pacing and dialogue-heavy style. The film moves quickly and enjoyably.  Any screenwriting instructor who teaches not to rely on voice-over for narrative development will have plenty to dislike about this film. No standing ovation or excessive cheering followed the film, however the audience seemed cheerful and the dark humor landed well to moments of laughter - especially a dig at French postmodern philosophy. The film is not "in competition" at this year's Cannes Film Festival.  It will likely perform fairly well for distributor Sony Classics - to be released on July 24 in art-house theaters.  Here's the trailer and a couple photos from the premiere:

Press enter the premiere of Woody Allen's IRRATIONAL MAN. Photo credit: John Rhodes