Although Joaquin Phoenix made his big-screen debut in the 1985 movie Kids Don't Tell, it wasn't until 1995 that he received his breakthrough role in Gus Van Sant's To Die For. Five years later, he'd receive his first Academy Award nomination for his role as the villainous Commodus in Ridley Scott's Gladiator.
Phoenix would receive further Oscar nominations for his roles in James Mangold's Walk the Line and Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master. He finally won the statuette in 2020 for his performance as Arthur Fleck in the psychological thriller Joker. And while Fleck might be his most iconic role to date, Phoenix has given other equally impressive and committed performances that deserve just as much praise and attention.
Joker Is Best: The Answer To An Unanswerable Question
The Joker doesn't have a clear origin, and that's the point. He's a force of pure chaos that doesn't need a reason to be. Christopher Nolan and the late Heath Ledger toyed with this idea in the game-changing The Dark Knight to critical and commercial success.
With Joker, Todd Phillips attempts to provide some background to the question of the Joker. The film can either be the actual origin of the Clown Prince of Crime or the tale of a man who'd go on to inspire the real Joker. Whatever the reason, the movie adds an extra layer of complexity to a story that's both convoluted and surprisingly simple.
Larry Sportello Is Better: Neo-Noir Hero
In his second collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson, Phoenix steps into the world of neo-noir. In Inherent Vice, Phoenix plays Larry "Doc" Sportello, a well-meaning but inept detective investigating three cases in 1970. He soon becomes embroiled in Los Angeles's criminal underworld.
Deliciously convoluted and chaotically rewarding, Inherent Vice might frustrate some with the answers it provides. However, and thanks to Anderson's sensibilities, Phoenix delivers a rare comedic performance that ranks as one of his best.
Joker Is Best: Reclaiming The Genre
With its R-rating, heavy themes about mental illness, hopelessness, and decidedly bleak tone, Joker stands out among other comic book movies. The movie serves as a cautionary tale, a way to put the disenfranchised forward.
Joker treads a road that few other comic book movies dare to enter. It condemns not only the character's actions but also the system that ignored and ultimately enabled him. In doing so, it redefines the genre and its boundaries, proving that movies based on comic books can also act as compelling character studies.
Theodore Twombly Is Better: Charming Is The Way
Her ranks as one of the most charmingly daring and original films of the new millennium. The story of a solitary man who develops a relationship with his AI virtual assistant could only come from a mind as fresh and creative as Spike Jonze's. The director and his cast of exceptional actors deliver a refreshing, heartfelt look at love and modern human relationships.
As Theodore Twombly, Phoenix is full of lightness and sweetness. He conveys nearly inexhaustible warmth and does so with such grace and nuance that it's impossible not to fall for his vulnerability.
Joker Is Best: Oscar
After three nominations, Joaquin Phoenix finally won his Oscar for the role of Arthur Fleck. Ever since Joker's announcement, awards pundits knew the actor would surely be the Best Actor frontrunner for his performance. However, few anticipated the film itself to be such a strong contender.
Phoenix swept the 2020 Awards Season, winning Best Actor at the Golden Globes, SAG, Critics' Choice, and BAFTA awards, before claiming the Oscar. And after a career full of unconventional and risky roles, seeing Phoenix receive his dues was so satisfying to watch.
Johnny Cash Is Better: Becoming An Icon
In 2005, Phoenix took on the role of country singer Johnny Cash in James Mangold's biopic, Walk the Line. The actor not only performs the part but actually becomes Johnny Cash. Phoenix did his own singing, doing his best to capture Cash's iconic voice and succeeding.
Critics praised the actor's commitment and the gravitas he brought to the movie. And while the story is at times too afraid to step outside the biopic's guidelines, Phoenix and co-star Reese Witherspoon elevate the material to soaring new heights.
Joker Is Best: Frighteningly Real
When Joker first premiered, critics and commentators pointed out how accurate and chilling Phoenix's portrayal was. In an interview with Vanity Fair, British neurocriminologist Adrian Raine praised the film and expressed his admiration for its portrayal of the psychology of a murderer.
Furthermore, the movie acts as a cautionary tale, exposing its thesis bluntly and unsubtly. According to Joker, the world is full of men like Arthur, and society does its best to forget about them. And this is a chilling thought.
Commodus Is Better: A Vexing Villain
Ridley Scott's 2000 blockbuster Gladiator is still fondly remembered to this day. It follows the story of Maximus Decimus Meridius, a Roman general betrayed and forced into slavery. Becoming a Gladiator, he ascends through the ranks in his quest to avenge the deaths of his family and emperor.
Phoenix plays Commodus, the main villain of the film, with an intriguing air of creepy intensity. He finds enough humanity in Commodus' amorality and bitterness to make the character memorable without ever attempting to make it sympathetic or likable.
Joker Is Best: Redefining A Classic
Phoenix was the fifth actor to portray the Joker on the big screen, after César Romero, Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, and Jared Leto. He had some big shoes to fill and the challenge to reintroduce the character for modern-day audiences. His Joker needed to stand out from the iconic portrayals that came before him.
Suffice it to say that Phoenix's portrayal stands tall among his fellow Jokers. The actor captured a new layer to the character, focusing on the more tragic elements of the villain's backstory. The result is an in-depth character study of a deranged mind that sheds new light on a character that keeps evolving along with society itself.
Freddie Quell Is Better: A Master Of His Craft
In his first collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson, Phoenix plays Freddie Quell, a WWII veteran adjusting to life after the war. After meeting the charming leader of a religious movement known as "The Cause," Freddie joins him in his journey along the East Coast.
The Master ranks highly in many critics' "Best of the decade" lists and is often considered one of the best films of the new millennium. Phoenix's intense performance lies at the center of the story, and the actor takes a manic and almost overbearing approach to the character. It's a performance for the ages and the ultimate feather on Phoenix's cap.