Outstanding performance by Joaquin Phoenix

Rating: 10/10 (15 October 2019)

You really feel this character. Anyone who has ever been picked on or feels the world is against them will relate more. The message should be clear on how some people don't realize how badly they treat others. We live in a world where sometimes people are so wrapped up in themselves they don't care about another human being's feelings. For me I found myself on the Joker's side. I felt pain for his pain. He has just been kicked down over and over again. He feels that life is just nasty and short and nobody cares?! The human race is bad. Joaquin Phoenix does an incredible job of conveying that vulnerability and rage. With the mood swings and crazy laugh it's hard to imagine that you want him to be the hero not a villain. In his mind he is the hero ridding the world of cruel people. There have been several very different portrayals of the Joker in other movies but by far Joaquin Phoenix is in a class of his own. A dark character that you feel sympathy and empathy for. He's aware a monster is evolving inside of him and he struggles with it before releasing it. Overall this is a solid movie with a lot of darkness and depth and Joaquin Phoenix definitely deserves an award for the best performance I have seen in a very long time.