Irrational Man (2015 Woody Allen & scr)

Despite only viewing six months ago, film was begging to be rewatched. The most incredible work by an eighty-year old who has done nothing but improve and improve. If he's still making films at 100 I wouldn't be at all surprised.

The film is hugely, hilariously ironic from the title on, and it's funny how Joaquin Phoenix's character feels immediately liberated and happy from doing the 'service' of killing a man who may or may not deserve it - the film cleverly doesn't make that clear. In fact at one point Phoenix says from what he's seen the man seems worse and worse, but actually all we've seen of him is jogging and drinking juice. So as in the best ironies what's actually going on isn't what the characters think is going on.

Woody's killing / preparing to kill theme is a blues number that seems really at odds with the visual, which makes it all the funnier. Those last moments though are incredibly gripping, Hitchcockian and unlike anything that's been in a Woody Allen film ever before.

Terrific luscious photography by Darius Khondji of Santo Loquasto's sets, including a fabulous fun fair, from where this terrific moment comes:

Emma Stone is sensational, as is Phoenix. With Jamie Blackley (boyfriend who knows exactly what's going to happen all along), Parker Posey (girlfriend who suspects the Prof. of murder).

The man's a genius, I tell you.