TIFF's Artistic Director Says ‘Joker' is “A Cinematic Achievement On A High Level”

Newly promoted TIFF Artistic Director Cameron Bailey has built up a little more buzz for Joaquin Phoenix's 'Joker,' Michael B. Jordan's 'Just Mercy' and Renee Zellweger as 'Judy' by speaking with the Toronto Sun. The interview is a fun read and, obviously, even if there is a movie Bailey does not like from this year’s lineup, there is no reason to utter anything negative about it. Regardless, his love for some of these movies does seem genuine.

First and foremost, Bailey tackles the hottest ticket at TIFF this year which is “Jojo Rabbit,” Taika Waititi’s anti-fascist satire:

”Taika Waititi’s “Jojo Rabbit” is one that really jumped out at us. He’s a brilliant filmmaker and he’s back in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a new Thor film, but he’s an independent thinker as a filmmaker. We’ve seen him do different films over the years, and this is a bold, daring satire. It’s like nothing we’ve seen and we’re thrilled for that one for sure.”

A few brief notes on “Harriet” and “Radioactive”:

”But, in addition to that, there are a strong number of films from women directors — Kasi Lemmons’ Harriet Tubman biopic Harriet is one; and our closing night film Radioactive, which stars Rosamund Pike as Nobel Prize-winning scientist Marie Curie, is another. Hustlers with Jennifer Lopez is another anticipated film and we’re glad to be premiering that as well.”

The big news from this interview are the glowing words Bailey has for the Todd Phillips/Joaquin Phoenix ‘Joker’ movie. We’ve now had Venice head Alberto Barbera and the TIFF head defending their decision to have a DC comic book movie in their respective fests:

“First of all it’s terrific. So it should play on our largest stage. But it’s a really original take on comic book movies and on the Joker character in particular. It’s not based on an existing story, it has one of the greatest actors in modern cinema, Joaquin Phoenix, in the lead, and Robert De Niro is in it as well, one of the best actors that has ever lived. But it has an interesting tone and approach to it. It’s set in the late ’70s, early ’80s and it feels like it was made then. It’s gritty in its look. It has references to Martin Scorsese’s filmmaking and it feels like a cinematic achievement on a high level. Although it’s working with very populist material, it has great ambition. That’s why it’s a Gala.”

“Just Mercy” has also been building some considerable Oscar buzz:

”It’s always hard to predict that, but I will say that a film like Just Mercy by Destin Daniel Cretton and based on the bestselling memoir by defence attorney Bryan Stevenson is an incredibly powerful drama. It’s a death penalty story about a lawyer, played by Michael B. Jordan, who takes on the case of a death-row inmate, played by Jamie Foxx, as he tries to bring justice to what he sees as an unjust conviction. It’s got incredible acting, directing and writing and that’s one I think awards bodies will be paying attention to.”

On Streep (“The Laundromat”) and Zelwegger (“Judy”):

“Also, I think The Laundromat from Steven Soderbergh is a scathing satire with a great performance from Meryl Streep. I think people will be looking at Joaquin Phoenix’s performance in Joker. It’s that good. The same can be said of Renee Zellweger as Judy Garland in Judy. She’s uncanny in that performance, too.”