Brilliant, ambitious, bold!

Rating: 9/10 (4 October 2019)

58 on Metacritic!!! What?! Few times do I disagree with their score. This is certainly one of those times.
This film has been controversial from the very moment it screened on festivals. It's something I truly don't get. Aren't we way past the "movies and video games are the cause of violence" narrative? Why is this coming back? It's such an outdated view. Watch Chris Stuckmann's stand on the issue. The guy gets it spot on.
Now... on to the movie itself. I came into this film with pretty high expectations. It won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and got an eight-minute standing ovations. After watching it, I can see why. Few times have I felt the urge to stand up and clap at the end of a movie. This is a thought-provoking piece of cinema. I've seen some negative reviews say it's a poor social commentary. With all due respect, I don't think those people understood the film. I didn't view it so much as a social commentary piece, but rather a portrayal of the effects a harsh society can have on a person with mental health and psychological childhood trauma. It is a bit on-the-nose at times, but it mostly works and makes you feel for the protagonist, which is something a good screenplay does. If you have a villainous character, you want to have the audience on their side at the beginning of the movie. Otherwise, you will lose them. These aren't characters that have arcs for the best; they've for the worst, and if they're dislikable from the get-go, you're audience won't be invested in them for the rest of the film. I found that the script did a terrific job in exploring the character. You really do feel his pain and anguish. You want him to get out of the bad situation that he is in. You want him to succeed and be happy. When things only get darker and the characters gradually starts to flip, it's a scary and unsettling change to witness. It keeps you on the edge of your seat, bitting your nails, not wanting things to go south. When they inevitably do, you can't look alway. You are disturbed, but you're eyes are glued to the screen. It is massively effective.
Joaquin Phoenix proves why he is the best actor working today. His performance is terrific. It is chilling, vulnerable, sad, and tragic. Is this the year he finally gets his Academy Awards? Let's hope so.
The score the movie offers is also fantastic. Atmospheric, dark, and at times, disturbingly fun.
All around, this film wasn't just an experience. It stays with you well after you leave the theater, and I can't wait to watch it again. Best movie I've seen this year thus far and I hope awards are much kinder to it than critics were. I do believe this is one of those pictures that is going to prove them wrong with time, same way 2001, Citizen Kane, Psycho, and Blade Runner did.