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What is the central moral dilemma in Irrational Man?

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Woody Allen speaking into a microphone with hands raised beside his face during a press conference, against a red background. — Woody Allen American director Woody Allen attending a press conference for *Café Society* before the opening of the 69th Cannes film festival, 2016.

In the film Irrational Man, the central moral dilemma revolves around a disillusioned philosophy professor who decides to commit murder to rectify a perceived injustice. After overhearing a conversation about a family court judge who is allegedly biased and likely to award custody to an undeserving father, the protagonist chooses to take the law into his own hands.

This premise forces an exploration of whether an individual is justified in committing an immoral act—in this case, murder—if they believe the outcome will serve a greater good or correct a societal wrong. By framing the narrative as an "existentially comic thriller," the film challenges the viewer to consider the boundaries of personal agency and the ethical implications of acting on one's own subjective moral judgments, rather than adhering to established legal and social frameworks.1