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Joker Movie Review: Joaquin Phoenix's heartbreakingly humanising act will leave you flabbergasted
Joker Review: Joaquin Phoenix's scene-stealing act as Arthur Fleck interspersed with Todd Philips' risque attempt at humanising Joker is a win-win situation and will leave fans flabbergasted when they leave the theatre halls.
Joker
Joker Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy
Joker Director: Todd Phillips
Joker Stars: 4/5
"Why so serious?," Joker gushed diabolically in Christopher Nolan's Batman universe that still rings a bell in our ears. Echoing the same is Arthur Fleck in Todd Philips' remorseful character sketch of Joker when he bellows, "I used to think my life was a tragedy. But now I realise, it's a comedy." It's almost impossible not to make the Joker comparison, given Heath Ledger's career-defining act. How do you top that? You don't! Instead, you let Joaquin Phoenix take charge of Arthur and use his acting prowess to give us a villain, that you uncharacteristically root for.
Joker was always amongst the highly anticipated releases of 2019 and with prominent reasoning. You have the guy who directed the Hangover series, you have one of the most iconic Batman nemesis and did I forget to mention the genius that is Joaquin Phoenix. Joker has had many cinematic interpretations but unlike Heath's Joker that never once made you sympathise with him, Phoenix's Joker makes almost a cult follower out of you. With every kill, you feel a sense of catharsis and become one with Gotham's vigilante. While from a realistic standpoint, you can't help but question Joker's ominous propaganda, from an artistic standpoint, you are hooked, line and sinker.
Joaquin has really taken the extra mile to showcase Arthur Fleck's innocence getting ripped apart one bully at a time. Whether it be a bunch of teenage delinquents who beat Arthur up and tear up his sign "Everything goes on," or even his own mother (brought to life by the effervescent Frances Conroy) who says, "Don't you have to be funny to be a comedian?" While Todd Philips and Scott Silver concoct a freshly cooked anti-superhero genre in their writing, Todd instead uses Joker's antics to explain Arthur's descent to madness. It's in the constant Russian Roulette between the varying degrees of laughter and the tippy-toe ballet song and dance sequences. The physical transformation by Joaquin, with his gut almost sticking out, makes you feel sick and pity for Arthur Fleck while the Norman Bates avatar, along with the gaudy makeup and piercing eyes make you want to look away.
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