Chandler Fleck

Rating: 4/10 (24 November 2019)

I was going to give this film one star but then I discovered the true spirit of the film - that it is the sequel to the series 'Friends', only set 20 years in the future...
Think about it - Ross, Joey, Rachel, Lisa and Courtney have all moved on in their lives and left New York for pastures new, but Chandler has inadvertently moved to Gotham, and now looks after his ageing mother with his glory days seemingly behind him.
Chandler had been practicing his stand-up routine throughout the 90's, but never quite hit the big time. Unfortunately he was burned-out after the tiring and endless series of humorous events - many involving a monkey - which unfolded over 15 heady years in the Big Apple.
In a state of poor health - and suffering from mental trauma - the laughter track in his head has begun to manifest itself as an inappropriate hysteric outburst that he can no longer contain when he gets anxious - so he takes on a job as a clown.
As the price of coffee rises way above inflation, Gotham's new generation of wealthy, white and privileged thirty-somethings begin to get restless, sack and sacks of untouched arabica beans begin to fill the city streets and caffeine addicted 'super-rats' move in. Social order rapidly begins to break down...
Chandler decides he needs to try one last time to get out there and make the world smile again - but this time he has no monkey - and a series of bad gigs throws him way off the rails - leading him into a dark and disturbing new reality.
When viewed for what it actually is - Joaquin Phoenix's turn as the deteriorating Chandler is stellar. It is simply stunning. Gone is the happy-go-lucky flatmate we once giggled at, and in his place is a broken man - one whose ties to his old life are starkly absent.
Robert De Niro's role as Robert De Niro in 'King Of Comedy' was also spot-on, except he much was funnier in the earlier film.
4/10 - because I can't see how Batman is going to fit into the 'Friends' universe