Irrational Man

Philosophy professor Abe Lucas arrives at Braylin College in Rhode Island, grappling with profound existential doubts. Despite his prestigious position, he feels a heavy fog of self-doubt clouding his mind.

In an attempt to cope with his overwhelming sense of purposelessness, Abe turns to excessive drinking. This unhealthy habit exacerbates his existential crisis, making it increasingly difficult for him to relate to others.

Abe becomes entangled with two women who are struggling in their own lives: Rita, a chemistry professor trapped in a stifling marriage, and Jill, a student conflicted between her loyalty to her boyfriend Roy and her feelings for Abe. Both women represent a potential escape for him amid his turmoil.

Jill navigates her complex feelings for both Abe and Roy, caught between her loyalties. Living with her parents, her emotional conflict deepens as she finds herself drawn to Abe.

During a vulnerable moment, Abe fails to perform in an intimate encounter with Rita, triggering his deep-seated depression. This failure pushes him further into existential despair.

While at a local diner, Abe and Jill overhear a conversation about a mother potentially losing custody of her children due to a corrupt family court judge. This sparks outrage in Abe, leading him to a troubling resolution.

Driven by a newfound sense of purpose, Abe convinces himself that he can eliminate the judge without fear of consequence. His determination to right this perceived wrong fills him with a dangerous conviction.

Abe observes the judge's routines, identifying a moment when the judge stops for juice after his morning run. Utilizing his knowledge from the college lab, he acquires cyanide to implement his deadly plan.

Abe successfully replaces the judge's juice with the lethal cyanide concoction. As he watches the poison take effect, he feels an unsettling sense of fulfillment, convinced that he has rid the world of evil.

Following the judge's death, Abe's relationship with Jill progresses into romance, albeit under troubling circumstances. Their happiness is short-lived as Roy discovers the affair.

Jill and Rita begin to piece together Abe's suspicious behaviors, including his secretive conduct in the lab. Rita, in particular, senses something is amiss, causing her to doubt her feelings for him.

In her quest to understand Abe better, Jill digs into his past and uncovers incriminating evidence of his deception. The weight of this revelation leads her to confront Abe about his actions.

Overwhelmed by guilt, Abe confesses to Jill, but she, standing firm in her moral convictions, decides to end their relationship. This confrontation leaves Abe spiraling deeper into his troubled psyche.

In a fit of desperation, Abe attempts to push Jill down an elevator shaft during a violent confrontation. Ironically, in his struggle, he loses his footing and falls to his own death, resulting in his ultimate undoing.

Emerging from the traumatic experience with Abe, Jill seeks comfort in Roy, pondering the life lessons she has learned. She stands overlooking the ocean, forever changed by the tumultuous relationship with Abe.