This October, Joaquin Phoenix will star in the highly-anticipated sequel to his hit film Joker, Folie à Deux. Phoenix carried the original film with his gripping performance as the titular supervillain. Because of this, many moviegoers are wondering which films top the list in his filmography. As it turns out, Joker is only the tip of the iceberg.
Starting as a child actor in the eighties, Phoenix would land increasingly high profile and eventually rise to stardom. From Roman emperors to unhinged loners, Phoenix has built up quite a career over the years. Here are the five best performances the actor has given us in his lead roles.
Gladiator
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Starting is a film that put Joaquin Phoenix on the map, Gladiator. The film tells the story of a disgraced Roman general thrown into the Colusseum by a sadistic ruler. While Russell Crowe starred as lead Maximus, Phoenix steals every scene he appears in. Commodus was the son of the famous stoic Marcus Aurelius, and Joaquin’s performance takes his questionable traits to the next level.
Long before King Joffrey graced our screens, Joaquin Phoenix gave us the original psychotic tyrant. Phoenix acted out the character with both chilling apathy and violent rage. Ultimately, the film lifted Joaquin to prominence and earned him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. There are few in the audience who were not entertained by this film and Commodus.
C’Mon C’Mon
Between the Joker Duology and Beau is Afraid, Phoenix gave audiences the underrated gem C’Mon C’Mon. Whereas many of Phoenix’s other films rely on his grim situations or insanity, this film delivers a surprisingly heartfelt performance. C’Mon C’Mon tells the story of radio host Johnny on a cross-country journey. Along the way, he bonds with his young nephew, Jesse. Mike Mills makes the most of the classic road trip setup for the film.
Director Mike Mills depicts the film entirely in black and white. Instead of making the film depressing, it makes the heartfelt story shine through even more. Many critics praised the chemistry between Phoenix and child actor Woody during the film. Furthermore, the character Johnny also gives many endearing moments of him teaching Jesse the ropes of being a radio host.
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her
Today, we spend so much time on our phones that it blurs the line between real and online. Ten years earlier, director Spike Jonze turned this into his insightful film her. Set in the not-too-distant future, her follows loner Theodore as he downloads an experimental phone AI. Despite being a computer, Theodore slowly falls in love with the automated application.
While most cyberpunk and AI stories have a dark tone, this one is surprisingly heartfelt. Much like C’mon C’mon above, Phoenix gives an endearing and romantic performance. His work becomes especially impressive when one realizes how much of it is done opposite to a smartphone instead of a person. Few other actors possess this skill. Again, this film serves as a lighter counterpart to both his other films and more cynical sci-fi works.
Beau is Afraid
Neither Studio A24 nor Ari Aster are strangers to giving us surrealist hits, but this film takes the cake. Beau is Afraid tells the story of anxiety-ridden loner Beau on a lengthy journey to return to his mother. Whereas Aster’s previous films were decidedly horror, this film is just as much a black comedy. The film starts insane in the center of a dilapidated city and slowly hits the audience with increasingly shocking reveals.
At the core of the film is Beau himself. As the film follows his journey, Phoenix brilliantly captures both the neurotic reactions to his surroundings and his reflections on life. For an Ari Aster film such as this one, there was no other logical choice to play Beau. While the film wasn’t as universally acclaimed as Aster’s other two films, Phoenix’s performance makes it a strong contender.
Joker: The Best of Joaquin Phoenix
As this film won Phoenix the award for Best Actor in 2020, readers shouldn’t be surprised to see this film top the list. The Joker himself stands as one of the most iconic comic book villains of all time with his chaotic presence. However, Todd Philips’ film deconstructs the mythology surrounding the character. This story of Joker stole all of our hearts with its biting social commentary and heavy themes of mental illness and isolation.
Once again, Phoenix steals the show. Every scene he is in features Arthur Fleck descending one step closer into madness as the world throws him aside. While Fleck is undoubtedly a villain, Phoenix’s performance adds a tragic and undeniable humanity to the character. Lastly, while the film is a drama, Fleck gives us now shortage of black comedy and meme material. Speaking for Variety, Phoenix called it one of the greatest of his career.
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