Yes, you read that headline right. Woody Allen has, over the years, earned his reputation for nihilism, through both his films and his obiter dicta in interviews. But his new movie, Irrational Man, addresses his traditional theme (the search for meaning in an ostensibly heartless universe) in a fresh way — one much more sympathetic to those who believe in the existence of absolute moral norms and the value of traditional human wisdom. A depressed, alcoholic philosophy professor (likably portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix) and his student (an excellent, moving performance by Emma Stone) overhear a conversation in which a woman expresses despair about the unjust, biased judge who is conspiring with her ex-husband to deny her custody of her kids. The professor now faces a choice: Should he find meaning in his life, by committing the gratuitous act of killing the judge — to make the world a better place?

The film eventually and unmistakably takes the side of the student, who believes that murder is wrong and that “murder leads to more murder” — opposing the idea of killing the judge on both absolute-normative and consequentialist grounds. What’s even more remarkable is that a film about moral questions should be so upbeat and non-preachy: Allen sets the tone early by having the great Ramsey Lewis Trio song “The In Crowd” on the soundtrack for the first scene (and he repeats it often during the film). Allen is of course renowned for his excellent taste in music; he also has Stone’s character play one of the most rousing and cheerful preludes in Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier (the soundtrack listing says the version in the film is performed by Bernard Roberts; here’s a rendition by Glenn Gould).

The film is visually impressive, too — Rhode Island is a state I know only through the windows of the Acela, and it looks idyllic here.