Joker

Joker is the origin story of one of Batman’s archenemies starring Joaquin Phoenix and Robert De Niro. 

Set in 1970s Gotham City, the cinematography was dark and gritty. The plot was engaging and unpredictable. The themes of mental illness and the effects of how people treat each other were sewn throughout the film. It was written and delivered so powerfully that if you didn’t know this was a comic book movie, it could have easily just been a well done fictional drama.

The acting was superb; everyone held up their parts. Robert De Niro was a surprise addition and his part was something slightly outside of his normal typecast so I liked him in his role. To me though, Joaquin Phoenix stole the show and properly carried this movie with his Oscar-worthy performance. He was a broken and deranged man, looking for love and happiness in all wrong ways. His commitment to this character was unmatched. This Joker is right up there with Heath Ledger’s performance.

I would not be surprised if this movie receives multiple nominations during awards season. It was an unexpected and impressive portrayal of this DC villain. Note, this is not your typical kid-friendly Marvel or DC movie, it has a lot of intense violence and uncomfortable scenarios. It was one that I had to wrap my head around before I watched because I knew that it may be hard to shake after the fact. In the end I think that this movie will be liked not just by comic book fans but also fans of crime dramas.