Genre: Drama
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Written by: Todd Phillips & Scott Silver
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert DeNiro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy and Brett Cullen
In theaters: 4 October, 2019 (USA)
To be honest, I've already Joker almost two weeks ago before writing this review... But I wanted to be sure I was able to build an opinion aside from the initial enthusiasm around the movie. Joker is not the best movie of the year (that's a point), but it is a good one! It is flawed, specially its writing, but it overcomes its most fragile aspects thanks to an amazing performance from Joaquin Phoenix and impressive works from the "more" technical departments.
Like an ordinary first superhero movie installment, Joker centers on DC's most iconic villain origins and it offers a relevant commentary about today's society - how we all act when someone just doesn't follow the rule. In Joker, there are no good people - people try to hurt you even more when they see you're hurt! It's a dark, dark world and Todd Phillips offers us the narrative of a mentally hill man who's thrown into society with no support - at first, you feel pitty for the poor Arthur Fleck, but then as his dark side emerges, you don't support his acts but you try to understand why he acted that way.
Phoenix is astonishing and delivers one of the most impressive (and showy) performances of the year. His Arthur is a sweet damaged boy that tries to cope with all the human evil around him - but he's also some sort of crazy and the lack of support around him tosses him to a black hole and he ends up lost in the world. Phoenix is one of the best actors working these days and his performance as Fleck must be ranked as his best, only to be suprassed by his work in Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master. His acting alone is more than an excuse to buy a ticket for Joker. Of course the movie also offers some nice acting from DeNiro as a late night host (channeling a bit of The King of Comedy) and Conroy does good with the little that's given to her, but it's Phoenix's show!
It is a major change of direction for Todd Phillips, marking his departure from "just" a comedy director who brought us The Hangover trilogy and the more sharp and polished War Dogs (2016) - he has never showed the world a movie with this dark and dramatic shades and while you feel there are times his directing hand is not as assured, you can't not praise his effort. It's not a directing masterclass and there are some narrative problems (but a lot of epic lines and good intentions), but Phillips does good overall!
Praise to Lawrence Sher for the cinematography work, bringing both sunlight full of hope and amaze and dark shadows that channel the "negative thoughts" that go inside Fleck's disturbed mind - it's a work of a haunting beauty. Hildur Guðnadóttir offers a ressonant score that might well be one of the most hard to forget this year not only because of its epicness but also because of the scenes where we hear its splendor. The makeup work is not that special, but the makeup moments (and the makeup itself) play a significant role in the movie, so kudos to Nicki Ledermann!
In the end, you realise Joker is a movie that impresses but rarely amazes. Phoenix, its score and the cinematography work are its strongest aspects for sure, but if DC and Warner Bros. have given the movie to a director who have already done some major dramatic work, Joker could have been even better. No matter what it is one of the movies of the year, not because it is a good one, but because of the inner message. It's an unconfortabe movie to watch because it's a movie that makes you think about how you deal with the world - "is it just me or it's getting crazier out there?".
RATING: 4 / 5
Oscar potentital categories
- Best Picture
- Best Actor (Joaquin Phoenix)
- Best Editing
- Best Cinematography
- Best Original Score
- Best Makeup & Hair
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