Irrational Man
I think that being so prolific, with his one film a year schedule, contributes to Woody Allen not quite having the reputation he deserves. There is no way all of his films can be misses, and whilst he is past his absolute peak he has still produced Midnight in Paris and Blue Jasmine in the last four years, and most other directors would be more than satisfied with that.
Irrational Man stars Joaquin Phoenix as Abe, a somewhat washed-up philosophy professor and author who, shortly after arriving at a new college, starts up a friendship with student Jill (Emma Stone). Lacking any purpose in life, he is going through the motions at work and in his personal life. By chance he overhears a conversation and realises that by killing a man he will be making the world a better place…
Straying into ‘Hitchcockian’ thriller territory for the first time since Match Point (one of his weaker efforts) this is much better. Allen’s script is sly and clever and the ending is both surprising and well thought-out. Phoenix and Stone give the assured performances you would expect. One negative though, the overuse of the tune The In-Crowd by The Ramsey Lewis Trio does become extremely irritating.
Rating: 7 out of 10
War Book
In the War Book, a group of government officials meet over a series of days to play out a scenario involving an impending nuclear attack. This may not sound like an interesting plot, but I found it totally gripping. The participants argue their points as if the situation was real, and you may find yourself going along with extreme measures that they agree to as the situation escalates.
The performances are universally fine, with Ben Chaplin, Antony Sher, and Sophie Okonedo particularly standing out. There is only one weak story line involving Chaplin’s seduction of Phoebe Fox that seems completely unnecessary, but other than that, this is a very compelling film and a suitable companion piece to the great Fail Safe.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10
45 Years
A film built almost entirely on its two lead performances, 45 Years is an admittedly impressive, emotionally chilly drama that has been over-praised by the critics. Tom Courtenay and Charlotte Rampling play a comfortable couple, Geoff and Kate, approaching their 45th wedding anniversary. When Geoff receives an unexpected letter they both find reasons to question their marriage and choices.
Courtenay and Rampling are both superb, and the interplay between a couple that has been together that long is very convincing. However, the story does feel overstretched, even at just 95 minutes, and I did feel a little detached from it.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Bait
An extremely silly and violent thriller directed by Dominic Brunt (better known as vet Paddy in Emmerdale). Victoria Smurfit and Joanne Mitchell play friends trying to raise the money needed to open a café. They inadvertently fall into the debt of a vicious loan shark who keeps demanding more and more from them.
As with a lot of films like this, you will probably be thinking “why don’t they just go to the police”, and they don’t really address that here. If you can get past that, then Brunt shows a lot of promise with some decent performances and a blood filled climax.
Rating: 6 out of 10