I really really liked this movie. It's very well acted, paced, directed, composed, and is overall one of my favorite movies of the year. Joaquin Phoenix steals the show again with what I think is the best performance of the year. The pacing is slow but the movie still manages to keep you entertained and on edge. All the camera work and music and sound design and set design came together really well. The script and the dialogue was also pretty good though it's not what makes this movie so great. It's just a very well executed movie.
But, it's not a perfect movie, and there are some noticeable problems. The biggest complaint I've seen with this movie is that it's very similar and takes a lot from Taxi Driver and other Martin Scorsese films. And though I also wanted a more originality in the writing, I think it still works really well for this movie and for the characters. One thing I also noticed was the sometimes in your face feel of the movie, I definitely thought movie a bit more subtlety in it's presentation. The thing is, I think all these problems stem form the fact that Todd Phillips is very inexperienced in making these types of movies. But for every moment that highlights that, theirs a moment that shows his and potential once he becomes more experienced.
There's also some other things that I liked that I think make this a 9/10 rather than an 8/10, particularly how violent and disturbing it was willing to be. And overall it's just a really really good movie.
But, it's not a perfect movie, and there are some noticeable problems. The biggest complaint I've seen with this movie is that it's very similar and takes a lot from Taxi Driver and other Martin Scorsese films. And though I also wanted a more originality in the writing, I think it still works really well for this movie and for the characters. One thing I also noticed was the sometimes in your face feel of the movie, I definitely thought movie a bit more subtlety in it's presentation. The thing is, I think all these problems stem form the fact that Todd Phillips is very inexperienced in making these types of movies. But for every moment that highlights that, theirs a moment that shows his and potential once he becomes more experienced.
There's also some other things that I liked that I think make this a 9/10 rather than an 8/10, particularly how violent and disturbing it was willing to be. And overall it's just a really really good movie.