In a hugely historic turn of events, Todd Phillips’ Joaquin Phoenix starring “Joker” has taken the top prize at this year’s Venice Film Festival.
Despite having garnered universal acclaim since it premiered last Saturday, the film was not seen as a likely winner of Venice’s most prestigious prize. A prize that had only thrown up two US winners in the last 10 years, Guillermo Del Toro’s “The Shape of Water” (which would go on to win the Academy’s Best Picture prize), and 2010’s “Somewhere” from Sofia Coppola.
The win for ‘Joker’ not only cements its position in the Oscar conversation, most notably in the form of star Joaquin Phoenix, who has received career best reviews for his turn as Gotham’s Clown Prince of Crime, with critics bending over backwards to find superlatives to describe his performance. But this announcement also marks the first time a Comic-Book Movie has taken home one of the festival circuits biggest accolades. In fact, this victory may represent the biggest critical acclaim a Comic-Book film has ever received. And although Phoenix lost out on Venice’s award for Best Actor, with the Volpi Cup going to “Martin Eden” star Luca Marinelli, the film’s win has shot him to the top of many bookmakers lists to take the Academy’s version next February. Can he follow in the footsteps of the legendary Heath Ledger and walk away with an Oscar for portraying DC’s most notorious villain?
Either way, Phoenix looks secured of a nomination, and with this win no doubt sending shockwaves through Hollywood, and mainly to Netflix, who would have thought their widely acclaimed “Marriage Story” had a shot at the Golden Lion, the once laughed at Movie (upon its announcement two years ago) now has to be taken seriously.