Joker
2019 · Todd Phillips · 122 min · Psychological Thriller / Drama
Joker lives and dies on Joaquin Phoenix's performance, and that performance is extraordinary enough to carry a film through its weaker stretches. Todd Phillips built a grimy, uncomfortable character study around one of pop culture's most famous villains and dared audiences to feel something for him. The influences are obvious, the social commentary is muddled, and the pacing drags in places. None of that erases what Phoenix does here, transforming Arthur Fleck from a pitiable figure into something deeply frightening through sheer commitment to the role. It's a film that's easier to admire than to love, but the admiration is earned.