Phoenix Is In Full-Form

Rating: 9/10 (22 October 2019)

Joaquin Phoenix returns to Oscar conversations with his latest portrayal of comic-book character, the Joker. Previously acted on by icons like Jack Nicholson and the late Oscar winner, Heath Ledger as well as the most unforgettable Jared Leto performance, Phoenix follows a long list and looked to set himself apart. And I can truly say, that he does just that.
With the phenomenal performance by the lead actor that takes the audience through a story of crime, corruption, and societal issues, it's Phoenix's acting that steals the show.
Creating an entirely new Joker that makes you almost forget you watching a comic book movie which can also be attributed to the liking of director Todd Philips. Like mentioned before, it's Phoenix's acting that puts the film on a different level and makes his portrayal stand as the beat to date, Philips does a wonderful job at putting together a tight story that's entertaining yet thrilling. The series that lead to this poor delusional man becoming the leader of an uprising and psychotic killer make for a fantastic ride.
Although there are some pretty obvious badges of influences from old Scorsese films (Taxi Driver , King of Comedy) the cinematography and setting that this older Gotham is put in is soul-crushing. As the citizens are repeatedly destroyed spiritually and mentally by the upper-class. It's the details like this that just add onto a spectacular film and create for one of the best movies of the year.
I think the immediate connection when talking of Phoenix's new role, is Ledger's 'Dark Knight' Joker. When considering the how well that was performed, I believe that this latest performance sets itself up as the best but rather because of such a great character development and story building around him. No other movie has done something like this before or to its success.
With a stellar performance and memorable supporting characters, Joker is a top tier film for this year and deserves to be considered when calling for best picture.