Movie Review: Joaquin Phoenix is brilliant as the Joker

Heath Ledger would've been proud. Joaquin Phoenix's take on the iconic character is nothing short of amazing if not brilliant in the "Joker." I had been wanting to see this film since it first started shooting knowing the cast involved but Joaquin's performance surpassed even my expectations.

I do have to say the pre-show experience in an odd way set the tone which included several makeshift signs taped up on the Heavenly Cinema windows telling moviegoers that no masks were allowed to be worn. Yes, the Warner Bros. film has caused some controversy with a variety of factors involved, chief among them the 2012 mass shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado during a screening of “The Dark Knight Rises.” For those not familiar with the DC Comics connection to this movie yes, it's that Joker from the Batman series. There were also concerns regarding this movie's release because Joaquin's character is that of a more sympathetic Joker struggling to find his way in the Gotham City landscape. That being said the transformation of Phoenix's physical appearance (losing a purportedly 52 pounds for the role) made him look even more tweaked out in addition to a mental illness that was not of his choosing. What's also amazing is that this is the first time the DC Comics' character is a stand-alone, front and center usually seen on the big screen in a supporting role. Not this time, man. It's Joaquin as the main character and he owns it big time.

Phoenix plays Arthur Fleck, a clown (yes, that kind of clown, make-up and all) by day for parties and odd jobs and a wanna-be stand up comic by night. The only problem is, Arthur is the joke and not in a good way. He's beyond creepy but you kinda feel sorry for him as his character is created in part by being bullied and well, you'll have to see the movie to connect the rest of the dots. I can tell you that it's tough to find out what's real and what's not because the scenes are in direct proportion of what's going on in Arthur's mind. He lives with his aging mother (played brilliantly by Frances Conroy) in sub-squalor conditions worthy of a tenement house who's only happy time is watching a late-night television show (in glorious black and white I might add) called "Live With Murray Franklin" (with Robert De Niro as Franklin, the host). A love interest lives just down the hall in the way of Sophie (Zazie Beetz), a single mother but is she real or just imagined as well?

Directed by Todd Phillips ("Road Trip," "Old School" and the "Hangover" trilogy) and written by Phillips with Scott Silver, it's eerie that I found this movie paralleling the current times we're in right now. Not just the obvious gun violence but the widening gap between the classes and the inevitable conclusion turning into mass riots by those getting squeezed out in the middle with no other alternative but rioting while the politicians they elected continue to play the fiddle while Rome burns.

Arthur dreams of getting on Murray Franklin's show as a comedian and even rehearses his entrance by watching other guests as they are introduced by Murray on TV. It was very reminiscent of watching De Niro in "The King of Comedy" (1982) where he plays the wanna-be comedian, Rupert Pupkin who dreams of getting on Jerry Langford's late-night television show (played by the late, legendary comedian Jerry Lewis). Very weird indeed the parallels. Another parallel that Batman fans will pick up on quickly is mayoral candidate Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen), who is the father of Bruce. That's another spin that has 'sequel' written all over it.

"Joker" is rated R for strong bloody violence, disturbing behavior, language and brief sexual images that clocks in at 122 minutes.

I give this movie a 4 out of 5 bagels rating.