Woody Allen’s Latest Movie Treads The Same Old Ground As Always

Get a load of Woody Allen’s latest movie plot: A charming older (but not too old!) professor finds himself doing a stint at a small liberal arts college. He teaches philosophy and is in the midst of an existential crisis, which manifests as a morose outlook on life as well as an inability to, erm, perform. Lo and behold! A shimmering young thang happens upon his path. Her whimsical nature is enchanting, and she helps him get over his middle-aged problem. Distress gives way to catharsis. Cue quirky elevator music. Fin. If that sounds familiar, it’s because Irrational Man — starring Emma Stone, Joaquin Phoenix, and Parker Posey — appears to follow the same plot line as most works in the Woody Allen oeuvre. The only question is: After so many iterations, has this particular trope become tedious, or perhaps even in poor taste? Frankly, we’re not entirely sure that the world needs another movie from Allen about a man rediscovering himself through the eyes of a young woman. Given the director’s pocked history, he might be well-advised to abandon this particular plot device. Irrational Man will likely be enjoyable to sit through, sure. We're just not totally sold on whether or not we should support his work in the first place.