Not Sponsored: I went to see the movie Joker this weekend. When I found out Joaquin Phoenix was going to play the Joker, I knew he would be amazing. He's an excellent actor. I first saw him in the movie Walk The Line, where he played Johnny Cash. He was absolutely awesome. But after watching this movie, Joaquin Phoenix has reached an astronomical GENIUS level of acting. To begin with, he lost 52 (23 kgs) pounds to play this character. His eloquence in movement. The Joker's laugh. He has encompassed the character from head to toe; from inside and out. You FEEL his pain. You FEEL his suffering. You FEEL all emotions. The topics that come out of this movie are bullying, physical abuse, mental abuse, verbal abuse, socioeconomic factors and issues, poverty, relationships, desire and dreams. IT'S POWERFUL! IT'S MENTAL! But you guys, its and absolute MASTERPIECE. As soon as the movie starts, the problems begin and they get worse as the movie plays out. There's laughter, but there's a lot of pain. And it shows you how delicate the mind truly is. Some people can deal with problems better than others. Some can recover. Others cannot. And if mental issues are not dealt with they can lead into substance abuse, physical & verbal abuse and violence. Every year mental health programs lose funding. Programs are cut. Social workers have only so much to work with. Its really sad. Its even sadder for the individual going through it. This movie is going to make a lot of money. It should receive critical acclaim. My hope is that it also makes those in a position to increase funding in these areas do so. There is definitely a need. I've always loved Batman and the Joker character. The Joker character has always been so BRILLIANT. Very smart. But those talents were always invested in dark, evil and sadistic ways. This movie explains how the Joker became the man he is known for. It was needed. To understand a person, you must know the person's beginnings and life. What encompasses that person. What have they experienced. It is their makeup. It is who they are.
