joaquin phoenix

Merrill Hess from Signs

Signs was something of a cultural phenomena when it came out in 2002. A genuinely scary movie with a twist that most did not see coming, it set the tone for the next decade of horror movies. Part of its appeal was a cast that delivered consistently strong performances. This included Joaquin Phoenix as the washed up local hero Merrill Hess.

Once destined for baseball greatness he now lives and works on the family farm without much ambition toward anything. His clothes – work jeans, work boots, and a dark henley – are all ideal clothes for working on a farm. And when the aliens touch down, he’s one of the first to accept the idea that it’s aliens and reach for a tin foil hat. Of course it’s his trusty bad that really makes the costume and with a little help from Etsy you can have your own Merrill Hess slugger ready and waiting! Just don’t forget to keep a glass of water nearby.

Joker (2019)

In the 2019 thriller Joker, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a mentally ill, impoverished stand-up comic. Discarded and abused by society, he turns to a life of crime and chaos, rising to become a frightening legend of Gotham City. Joaquin Phoenix is the fifth actor to portray the legendary Batman villain Joker in a film, and the first in a stand-alone feature.

Doc Sportello

In Inherent Vice, based on the Thomas Pynchon novel, Larry “Doc” Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) is a hippie private investigator. He takes assignments from questionable clientele in Los Angeles, getting himself caught up in all sorts of intrigue.

Theodore Twombly

In Spike Jonze’s film Her, Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) is a lonely man who, after buying an operating system with artificial intelligence, starts falling in love with it. While the technology is futuristic, the large glasses and high-waisted pants are a throwback. Also worth a look is the Her collection from Opening Ceremony in collab with director Spike Jonze.

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