Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2021 13:54:31 GMT
This isn’t a question of who is the better actor, or who is the better Joker etc... we could debate the semantics all day.
I recently rewatched “The Dark Knight” and “Joker” back to back on HBO Max yesterday and I thought about “Which one scared me more?”
My answer is “Joaquin Phoenix”
Now, I’ll explain my answer. It’s not that I’m saying he’s a better actor, or better Joker, or even that “Joker” is a better film. I’m saying that there is something unsettling about Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal that makes me feel sick. Like I just watched something private, that I wasn’t supposed to see. Like I witnessed a murder and walked away unsure what to do with my emotions.
Maybe it’s because Phoenix’sJoker felt more like a real life situation. As if this person could exist among us. Whereas Ledger’s Joker felt more like a movie villain. Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. He nails it as a sociopath. I love his ability to turn everyone on their heads.
However, with “The Dark Knight” you know Batman is going to save the day. In the back of your mind, you know he’s going to fail. But “Joker” (2019) felt less like a movie. Plus, you go on a rollercoaster. You see how society could create a monster like this because of the way we treat others, the way we disregard mentally ill people. The system treats the top 1% like gods and the middle class like worker bees.
Anyway. That is my two cents. The final scene with Murray was frightening. His decent into madness. How he goes from unsure of himself, to embarrassed, to angry. You see his eyes well up with tears, then he breaks out in laughter... Phoenix acting was on another level. I don’t know how he did that in 5 minutes. He did more in that five minute scene than some actors accomplish in their whole careers.
I recently rewatched “The Dark Knight” and “Joker” back to back on HBO Max yesterday and I thought about “Which one scared me more?”
My answer is “Joaquin Phoenix”
Now, I’ll explain my answer. It’s not that I’m saying he’s a better actor, or better Joker, or even that “Joker” is a better film. I’m saying that there is something unsettling about Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal that makes me feel sick. Like I just watched something private, that I wasn’t supposed to see. Like I witnessed a murder and walked away unsure what to do with my emotions.
Maybe it’s because Phoenix’sJoker felt more like a real life situation. As if this person could exist among us. Whereas Ledger’s Joker felt more like a movie villain. Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. He nails it as a sociopath. I love his ability to turn everyone on their heads.
However, with “The Dark Knight” you know Batman is going to save the day. In the back of your mind, you know he’s going to fail. But “Joker” (2019) felt less like a movie. Plus, you go on a rollercoaster. You see how society could create a monster like this because of the way we treat others, the way we disregard mentally ill people. The system treats the top 1% like gods and the middle class like worker bees.
Anyway. That is my two cents. The final scene with Murray was frightening. His decent into madness. How he goes from unsure of himself, to embarrassed, to angry. You see his eyes well up with tears, then he breaks out in laughter... Phoenix acting was on another level. I don’t know how he did that in 5 minutes. He did more in that five minute scene than some actors accomplish in their whole careers.
