The Joker Thread - Part 1

[Art Vandelay]

If Joker was the most unpleasant movie you’ve seen, you must not watch too many bleak movies. It still had a bunch of dark humour in it that made me laugh out loud. It even ends on a quirky note.

And no, the point of that movie wasn’t to show up and enjoy the experience. A lot of it is heavy. The trailers were quite dour. So it would be strange if people actually went into it thinking they were gonna have some fun. That’s probably why I was so surprised by the amount of humour in it. I definitely left Joker with a lot to think about, but me and my buddies were also laughing/quoting certain scenes.

You're right, I don't watch too many bleak movies.

More power to you if you found the movie funny, I just found it to be relentlessly dark. And it's not a matter of expecting it to be "fun", just that it is possible to do a fun, enjoyable movie about the Joker. At any rate, I can't imagine wanting to sit through it again.

 

[Captain Tired]

Joker is a pretty dark film, to be sure.

The character itself, however, once he gives in to his darker nature, I found to be very fun, charismatic and joyous.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Good, more realistic choices: Caleb Landry Jones, George MacKay, Andrew Garfield, Lucas Hedges.

I don't see any of those choices as being realistic, with the possible exception of Andrew Garfield. But only because he's the only known actor out of that bunch. I really don't see the Joker being played by an unknown.

 

[Eddie Dean]

George MacKay was the lead of one of the biggest films of the last year. Lucas Hedges is huge in the A24 indie world. Even CLJ has had very prominent roles in big movies. They’re not unknowns.

 

[AndyTrevino]

You're right, I don't watch too many bleak movies.

More power to you if you found the movie funny, I just found it to be relentlessly dark. And it's not a matter of expecting it to be "fun", just that it is possible to do a fun, enjoyable movie about the Joker. At any rate, I can't imagine wanting to sit through it again.

Since it was a very grounded take, I'll let it slide. If it was a movie about the more classic, stylized Joker then I'd agree with you

 

[AndyTrevino]

George MacKay was the lead of one of the biggest films of the last year. Lucas Hedges is huge in the A24 indie world. Even CLJ has had very prominent roles in big movies. They’re not unknowns.

They're not unknowns, but they're not super recognizable either, except for maaaybe Mackay and Hedges.

 

[AndyTrevino]

I don't see any of those choices as being realistic, with the possible exception of Andrew Garfield. But only because he's the only known actor out of that bunch. I really don't see the Joker being played by an unknown.

I mean, they COULD get an A-lister to play the character, but at this point I feel like The Joker's essentially a household name. If they cast an unknown or someone who's not a super high-profile actor and they end up giving a great performance, then the performance and the character could boost their popularity.

Riddler might very well be the main villain in this first movie, and he isn't played by a high-profile actor. Just sayin' it's possible.

 

[Art Vandelay]

I just don't know how you go from Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, Jared Leto, and Joaquin Phoenix, to Caleb Landry Jones or George Mackay. Neither of those guys are on the same tier that those other actors are. In the minds of most cinema goers, they are unknown.

And considering we've had two Oscar winning performances for the Joker, I'd be very, very surprised if we don't see another A-Lister in the role.

As for Paul Dano and the Riddler, don't forget Dano also has There WIll Be Blood, Little Miss Sunshine, and Prisoner under his belt. And he's playing the Riddler in a movie with Catwoman and the Penguin in it, played by fairly big actors, so he's not quite on the Joker level of villain.

 

[SwordOfMorning]

I mean, I feel like casting Joker shouldn’t be a game of ‘Which super acclaimed big name actor will it be this time?’ Nothing wrong with an up and comer.

 

[shauner111]

I don't see any of those choices as being realistic, with the possible exception of Andrew Garfield. But only because he's the only known actor out of that bunch. I really don't see the Joker being played by an unknown.

It’s way more realistic to me that an unknown would get the role because the studio isn’t dictating this decision over Matt. He has control to do what he wants. And if this is a success, they will let him piss on them in the office urinal if that’s what he pleases.

 

[shauner111]

I just don't know how you go from Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, Jared Leto, and Joaquin Phoenix, to Caleb Landry Jones or George Mackay. Neither of those guys are on the same tier that those other actors are. In the minds of most cinema goers, they are unknown.

And considering we've had two Oscar winning performances for the Joker, I'd be very, very surprised if we don't see another A-Lister in the role.

As for Paul Dano and the Riddler, don't forget Dano also has There WIll Be Blood, Little Miss Sunshine, and Prisoner under his belt. And he's playing the Riddler in a movie with Catwoman and the Penguin in it, played by fairly big actors, so he's not quite on the Joker level of villain.

The Joker sells it. Not the actor anymore. Leto isn’t that well known by name. It’s not about the stardom, it’s about their skill set.

As for the Joker movie being dark. Yeah it’s dark but dark humour is a thing, which that movies has in spades. So it’s not a super serious, depressing flick from start to finish. It’s not Only God Forgives.

 

[Greens]

I'd love to see this picture finally become reality lol

 

[Eddie Dean]

Best Actor going back ten years...

Joaquin
Rami Malek
Gary Oldman
Casey Affleck
Leo DiCap
Eddie Redmayne
Matthew McConaughey
Daniel Day-Lewis
Jean Durjadin
Colin Firth

I have to say, if Casey wasn't such a scumbag or Ben's bro, that would be a mighty tempting pick.

 

[AndyTrevino]

Best Actor going back ten years...

Joaquin
Rami Malek
Gary Oldman
Casey Affleck
Leo DiCap
Eddie Redmayne
Matthew McConaughey
Daniel Day-Lewis
Jean Durjadin
Colin Firth

I have to say, if Casey wasn't such a scumbag or Ben's bro, that would be a mighty tempting pick.

Redmayne has a really good look for the character but I'm not sure if he can pull it off performance-wise.

 

[Eddie Dean]

Yeah, too bad he’s so annoying lol

 

[Captain Tired]

Remember how he literally salivated and drooled as he walked up to get his Oscar.

 

[shauner111]

He’s too much of a little twerp.

 

[Boom]

Eddie Redmayne will forever be the guy that stole Michael Keaton's Oscar, and on that alone I want him to drop off the face of the earth forever.

 

[Captain Tired]

Keaton also should have been nominated for Clean and Sober.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Redmayne has a really good look for the character.

Which is what, middle aged lesbian?

 

[Eddie Dean]

Tall, lanky, big smile, pointy chin, pale, creepy...

 

[Schlosser85]

Redmayne looks the part okay I guess, but I don't really see him acting it.

 

[AndyTrevino]

Tall, lanky, big smile, pointy chin, pale, creepy...

^Yep. I'm just not sure if he could pull off the rest of it.

 

[SwordOfMorning]

I don't share the near memetic aversion to Redmayne but he doesn't feel like a great fit to me beyond some basic qualifications of facial structure. Might've been an interesting Riddler.

 

[SwordOfMorning]

Best Actor going back ten years...

Joaquin
Rami Malek
Gary Oldman
Casey Affleck
Leo DiCap
Eddie Redmayne
Matthew McConaughey
Daniel Day-Lewis
Jean Durjadin
Colin Firth

I have to say, if Casey wasn't such a scumbag or Ben's bro, that would be a mighty tempting pick.

Casey is often a name I go to when fancasting before sadly remembering he's a sex pest.