A TRIUMPH

Rating: 10/10 (13 October 2019)

JOKER is an absolute triumph of modern-day cinema. A depressing, exciting, horrifying, morbid, sad and multilayered masterpiece featuring one of the most riveting und heart-wrenching performances by an actor you're ever going to have the pleasure (and honour!) of witnessing on the big screen. Another (and perhaps the very best!) career-defining role by Joaquin Phoenix whose unquestionable talent is only rivaled by his 100% dedication to the craft of being one of the very best in what he does. And what he does in this film could only be described as a deep dive into the depths of one troubled soul and its tense relationship with a violent and uncaring world. Like Arthur's own reality. A reality that could chew and then spit you out like a tasteless fly. It clearly suggests to us that everyone's sanity has his/her limits, so when we pass beyond them and stop pretending that everything's " "eventually going to be alright", breaking the conventional artificial rules becomes the new norm. When everyone denies you love and legitimate care, you hit them back with as much hatred and anger as possible. If we are to live in a jungle, then one should start playing by its crude ancient rules. Or at least that's what the Joker wants us to think, because after all - he's telling us the story... from HIS perspective, right? But does that change the fact that his world, his dark and filthy Gotham City seems so awfully familiar???
Todd Phillips' Arthur Fleck/Joker... You will like him. You will sympathize with him. You will cry for him. You will be scared of him. You will hate him. But most importantly - you will... understand him. And that may just as well be one of the most cathartic moments in your life as a moviegoer... and nevertheless as a member of a SOCIETY that unfortunately is still way too effective in creating monsters that no one can control. Monsters that we refuse to take the responsibility for and who may one day force us (in the worst case scenario) to pay the bitter price for our negligence.
A DEFINITE MUST-SEE!!! This film is an event and Joaquin's performance is one for the ages. It will definitely go down in history as one worthy of being mentioned in the same sentence with the likes of Brando's Don Vito Corleone, Daniel Day-Lewis' Daniel Plainview, Jack Nicholson's McMurphy and Heath Ledger's own version of that iconic character in every single "All-Time Greatest Character Portrayals" list you can get your hands on. Arthur's character arc is absolutely not the only ace that this film has up its sleeve: the mesmerizing soundtrack by Hildur Guðnadóttir, the captivating visual storytelling achieved though Lawrence Sher's masterful cinematographic approach, the unexpected re-imagining of Thomas Wayne - there're so many more things to love and contemplate about after seeing that amazing masterpiece. You can be sure of it ;)
12 out 10 stars :)