Top 10 Joaquin Phoenix Roles

1. Gladiator (2000)
“Commodus”

Joaquin Phoenix performed in two art direction-heavy, costumed period dramas in 2000. The first being the previously discussed Quills and the second being Ridley Scott’s outstanding swords and sandals epic, Gladiator. As the film’s incestuous and mentally unstable villain, Commodus, Joaquin Phoenix was given the opportunity to develop strange twitches and physical nuances that made Commodus not only vile and unsettlingly creepy, but also twistedly evil and very dislikeable. Though the historical nature of the film is to be taken rather lightly, Commodus’ inability to correctly rule a nation that he violently stole from his own father and his crippled emotional state is marvelously brought to life by Phoenix and he impressively holds his own against powerhouse performer, Russell Crowe. In one particular scene before the film’s riveting climactic showdown, Crowe, who won his only Oscar for his performance as Maximus, is listening helplessly as Commodus mocks him and ticks away at him with insults allowing Maximus to understand the sad truth that he will never have the Rome that he hoped for because Commodus will never allow his father’s dream to be carried out. It’s a tense scene and one that may have single-handedly awarded the actor with the Best Supporting Actor nomination he was given. In the twelve years since Gladiator’s release, Russell Crowe has become one of the most sought after and recognizable actors in Hollywood and Joaquin Phoenix has proven himself time and time again as a competent and strong performer. Despite all the great performances he has turned in since, Gladiator will forever be this critic’s choice as Phoenix’s best film role.

Phoenix’s new film, The Master, is currently playing in limited release and will soon expand to other territories throughout the rest of September. Come back next week to see my review of Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film and see where Joaquin Phoenix’s performance in The Master ranks with the ten listed here.