THE JOAQUIN PHOENIX REVIEW

by Nate Lee

BEST FILM: Walk the Line... Though he certainly deserves all the accolades, Phoenix only actually lost himself in Cash sporadically (mostly in the performances). He did bring out the soul of the country star, though, using his gift for intense introspection to let us feel the pain.

GREAT PERFORMANCES YOU MAY NOT HAVE SEEN:

Two Lovers (a disturbed man torn between his love and his parents’ choice for him)

Inventing the Abbotts (opposite Liv Tyler)

Parenthood (Diane Wiest’s rebellious son)

Buffalo Soldiers (drug-dealing, arms-dealing soldier)

8MM (porn-store clerk)

We Own the Night (“bad” son of cop Robert Duvall)

Return to Paradise (vacationer taken prison for pals’ drug offenses)

Clay Pigeons

To Die For

Quills 

BLOCKBUSTERS:

Walk the Line (Oscar nominated, Golden Globe winning performance, Grammy winning singing as Johnny Cash)

Gladiator (Oscar and Golden Globe nominated performance as the “emperor”)

Ladder 49

Signs

The Village

THE REAL PHOENIX:

True to his name, Joaquin rose from the ashes of his brother River’s death, shed the hippie name, Leaf, and became a player, though surprisingly with his own set of problems dealing with alcohol. Maybe “We Own the Night” is the closest to his life as a little brother and son. 

ACTING STYLE:

The new Brando. The whispery whine, the intensely feeling yet macho bearing, the pouty look with some effeminate features: maybe he should play Marlon in a biopic.  

BITS AND QUIRKS:

Half-closed eyes. A look like he’s on the verge of tears, or just thinking deep thoughts. A certain stiff stance and awkward walk.  

GREAT SCENES:

GLADIATOR -

Strangling Peter O’Toole > Fighting Russell Crowe in the arena > Quietly threatening his sister and nephew

LADDER 49 -

All the firefighting sequences > Being pinned down

WALK THE LINE -

All the singing >> The scenes with his father > Getting Reese Witherspoon as June Carter up on stage to sing with him > Playing at Folsom Prison

PARENTHOOD -

Befriending Keanu Reeves > Mad at his mom and sister for chasing Keanu away > The dragster scene

RETURN TO PARADISE -

The execution scene

WE OWN THE NIGHT -

The chase scene in the rain > Inside the club > Scenes with Mark Wahlberg

 

GO TO THE... JOAQUIN PHOENIX BIO