Joaquin's On You.
122 Mins. Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Glenn Fleshler, Bill Camp, Shea Whigham, Brian Tyree Henry & Robert De Niro. Director: Todd Phillips.
Send in the definitive Clown Prince of Crime DC. Gotham ain't ever seen anything like this. The Sixties swing of Caesar Romero. What we then thought was the best ever in Jack Nicholson. The force of a voice by Mark Hamill. The one and only, late, great Heath Ledger. The modern day, blinged up 'Suicide Squad' twist of Jared Leto. And of course 'Gotham's' own Cameron Monaghan. And now the method of method actors Joaquin Phoenix gets the last psychotic laugh. Mixing hands of his 'You Were Never Really Here' anti-hero and the De Niro (he's here too and 'The Irishman' is his best in show years) 'Taxi Driver' movie it was inspired by. To playing deck go along with some 'King Of Comedy' role reversal (what else would you expect from the original production and forever inspiration of Scorsese?) like the converging, light blinking parallel line train tracks for this dark night before the Knight. Spine straining skin, tension tightening the laces of his clown boots that sound halfway across the wrong side of the tracks like that, or the twisting of a balloon animal as he pulls his back taught. This clown isn't the type you want making faces at your kid like the drunk, squished nose one courtesy of John Candy in 'Uncle Buck'. You're really going to be scared of clowns now if you aren't already with this one with the scars. Want to know how he got 'em? Because it's Candyland in this city for any villain with a water spraying flower gimmick. Smell this! Gotham's Sinatra, Scorsese and De Niro Big Apple is rotten to the Travis Bickle core for someone who sounds like he'd ask the mirror, "you talkin' to me(?)" and act like the mirror is answering back on reflection. Because I don't see anyone else around here like this...or do I? All hiding behind playing card clown masks by the Ledger pack. Meat packed into a Subway midnight, boiler room pressure cooker train that has Wall Street Gekko lizards getting their licks in at night with a 'Collateral' carnage like peek-a-boo after some 'Brave One' vigilante harassment and a whole following crowd mobbing two Gordon and Bullock like detectives by the next train day. Both roles copped by character actor vet greats Shea Whigham and Bill Camp on badge and gun, hand it to them form. You can see just how scared they are with the absolute force through fear look on Whigham's incredibly expressive face as he gun in the sky barrels and descends down the carriages. Showing you this Halloween season movie really is terrifying like orange clockwork. This is Nicholson 80's, Ledger punk rock anarchy in Caesar masks ready to knock your teeth out like Leto's 'Suicide'. This is an agent of chaos, so, so serious!
Why? Look at this clown! If Ledger is King, then Phoenix really is the Prince like The Artist formerly known, reigning in his purple make-up for a classic 'Batdance'. Even if once Riddler rumoured Leonardo DiCaprio was considered once upon a time in Hollywood when this was constant collaborator Scorsese's (seeing him alongside Marty's fellow frequent filmaking companion De Niro would have really been something...but this is something more). But there's no R Patz or even a Batfleck on hand right now. No Christian Bale or even a George Clooney here this time. No Kilmer, Keaton, or even late, great Adam West. Because holy script flipping, comic-book reversals Batman, this is a villain movie! 'Machinist' mad weight lost from 'The Master', as he dejected walks home like his body was draped over the back of a chair, whilst his clothes were still starch hung up by a rail. A thumbs up from this acting 'Gladiator' in something far more evil with this iconic look right between the gold reaf eyes. All 'Signs' point to a baseball bat to the face as the Johnny Cash 'Walk The Line' rebel walks the one of a real Joker. Becoming the man in purple as you wake up to a 'Hangover' from former comedy director Todd Phillips and reborn star producer Bradley Cooper, painting this social commentary tragedy falling down like Michael Douglas not making it in time for a Whammyburger breakfast. An expert in playing wounded souls, Phoenix has always know how to get down to the ashes of a character and rise to the Oscar occasion. Whether it be Cash, 'Master', emperor, or the king of cards here. And you could even expect Academy Award acclaim for the 'Her' and 'Inherent Vice' actor who owns the night with brutal bursts of vile violence like when he was 'Never Really Here' (and he may not even believe he exists here too. Despite some tender ballroom dancing humanity similar to that movie with the moving mother story of a fantastic Frances Conroy of 'Six Feet Under') before the real vigilante is born on the same night. Because 'Joker' just outside the Summer blockbuster pack is not only the greatest comic-book (not superhero) movie of the year, but also one of the all round best and all time classics. As Phillips gets his fill and even his own Easter Egg to his personal comedy career as this standalone (no sequel, no post credits) movie has more than some nicely nuanced nods to the caped crusader (even pole swinging all the way back down to the sixties show). Despite forging it's own perfected path of seventies battered soul (all the way down to the Warner Bros logo like a Sony Classic) in the holy clusterf### that is DC's timelines (have you ever seen their 'Crisis On Earth' crossovers that even bring back 'Smallville' Superman's and Brandon Routh?), that somehow still works. After the amazing 'Aquaman' wave, from the light hearted lighting bolt of 'Shazam' to this. This is quite possibly DC's best year until the '1984' sequel to their 'Wonder Woman' superhero game changer comes next. And in dark design of classic cinematography, scored by some stirring strings still holds it own next to the Marvel that is the Avengers and now bests it in individual inspired films of influence, like when 'The Dark Knight' came out in the same Summer as some movie that called itself 'Iron Man'. And with Joaquin's Joker being the closest thing to Heath's hallmark playing card classic, this film doesn't need a cape for its own crusade. Rebelling against the system and raging against the machine this is no incel in the membrane call to white terrorist shooters (although the decision for the Aurora cinema that was victim to the 2012 mass shooting at a 'Dark Knight Rises' showing deciding to not show this movie was the right and decent one) like some social media trends tweet, but instead a cracked mirror to just how horrible things have got from society to individual over the last seven or so years. They haven't got it wrong like when 'Suicide Squad' glamorized the toxicity of Mr. J's relationship with Harley Quinn, instead of presenting it as what it is, an abusive warning...but just wait for 'The Emancipation'. This is no celebration, but a cause and caution to the effects of violence, both physical and of the mind. Violence begets violence. This psychological warfare is America. A Frankenstein monster for the modern day. This is ugly. This is blood, sweat and tears running down your anarchy war paint as this mob rule mass leader scratches acidic green hair dye into his scalp. And no mask can cover that. What hides behinds the shadows of Batman's world and a finale scene straight out of 'The Dark Knight Returns' Joker television show guest spot animation is just how well comic cells can tell the story of real life in their metaphors, translating to big movie screens. Put on a happy face if you can, but the writings on the wall...in blood red lipstick on that mirrors reflection.
Kiss the past goodbye. There's a new way to turn a graphic novel into a comic classic. Even if there's little laughs and a hell load of graphic violence. All these hits keep coming until the final Paramedic blow to a cop car pays homage to a whole other classic vehicle, overturned like that 'Dark Knight' 18 wheeler. Your youngest may dress up as Bats this Halloween, but when it comes to this horror show you better not bring your kids. And you thought Pennywise was the scariest clown this time of year. Well if 'IT' follows this again then the balloon will be well and truly burst like that hilarious and genius Harley Quinn 'Birds Of Prey' cinema trailer (Margot Robbie really is aces...BOP!). As Joaquin in Joker make-up in this stages lightbulb popping mirror tries to put a smile on that happy face, he Tourette laughs at the conditions of his pain to dramatic effect. All the way to a whole new classic cackle to go along with that iconic purple suit that is anything but cheap...you should know you bought it! Whether jester dancing to opera in the bathroom beautifully after something so ugly were we see the two halves of his criminal crossover literally on his no way back face. To this sent to elastic snapping point clown really going in. Now that's quite the return ticket were you're never the same again like the brown paper bag 'A Most Violent Year' actor Glenn Fleshler hands him as Joaquin lends his Tourette's to sympathetic effect. But can there be any for this devil here as he tries to have a heart, falling for a standout 'Deadpool 2' Domino, Zazie Beetz (her 'Atlanta' co-star Brian Tyree Henry also shows up for a scene stealing cameo), but ends up showing us just how delusional stalkers are? All before offering up a divisive speech in the most controversial film of the year that pulls no punchlines in his battle of wits climax with 'Goodfella' Robert De Niro to really see who is Gotham's Godfather of comedy, pride and joy. For a mask on, difficult guest talk show moment that almost riffs on his 'I'm Still Here' Letterman gaff for the bearded 'You Were Never Really Here' actor. As this becomes the new movie moment Joaquin is known for. Right after battling another legend in Brett Cullen's Thomas Wayne running for mayor, asking us what sort of coward hides behind a mask (get it?). Recognize him? Yep like Alfre Woodard in two separate MCU roles he was in 'The Dark Knight Rises' as a completely different character, but ended up stepping in for Alec Baldwin...what did we tell you about these timelines? Movies like this are meant to divide like any villainous origin story that sees a descent into madness via an ordinary person being lured over to the dark side after it only taking one bad day. As a matter of fact my only qualm here in a movie whose ultraviolence makes for the ultimate cautionary tale, not rush (and what Phillips said about 'John Wick' was right too), is during an iconic jamming in the puddles scene down some steps in full clown regalia, Phoenix's Arthur Fleck's Joker is strumming in the rain along to some Gary Glitter, a known child sex offender...very poor choice of song in an otherwise stellar soundtrack and soaring score, razor harsh, cutting and sharp. Still one bad pun aside, this is still a stand up, stand alone round of applause. Even if it isn't a crowd pleaser. Nothing is killing this joke. Even if this is no laughing matter. Psychotic but hypnotic. Unsettling but undeniable. I don't know whether to laugh or cry at the two 'Joker' faces of this comedy/tragedy...but that's life. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'The King Of Comedy', 'Taxi Driver', 'You Were Never Really Here'.
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