Joaquin Phoenix continues to amaze with his role in “C’mon C’mon,” A24’s latest release. He plays Johnny, a radio journalist who takes a cross-country trip with his nephew Jesse (Woody Norman) while his mother (Gaby Hoffmann) attends to issues with her husband, Paul (Scoot McNairy).

Shot in beautiful black and white, Mike Mills explores an uncle-nephew relationship with Johnny and Jesse in a poignant manner. They are both teaching each other; Johnny is learning how to deal with a child, and Jesse is opened up to a whole new world outside of his LA bubble. Woody Norman’s portrayal of Jesse may turn off some, he is extremely draining and uncontrolled, but some of the best moments in the film include the wide-eyed wonder he expresses when exploring something like a skate park in New York City. His portrayal of childhood innocence has shades of Jacob Tremblay in “Room,” and that says a lot.

Joaquin Phoenix dazzles once again. It’s amazing how he is able to go from a spoiled brat in “Gladiator” (much like Jesse’s character in “C’mon C’mon”) to a loner in “Her,” the unstable Arthur Fleck in “Joker,” and now a radio journalist who has more to his past then he lets on. Joaquin playing this average joe is so believable, and it may be his most human role yet. It’s all the more impressive when you go from his Oscar-winning performance in “Joker” and then watch “C’mon C’mon.” Joaquin and Woody have great chemistry together, going from standoffish to the best of friends by the end. While the film feels it could have ended a few different times in the last twenty minutes, the final audio messages exchanged by Joaquin and Woody’s characters will tug at the heartstrings. The most frustrating part of Joaquin’s performance is how much Johnny caves to Jesse. It’s completely possible (and likely) that this is done intentionally, especially seeing that the world has changed with how parents treat children. Jesse is also Johnny’s nephew, and there are boundaries that come with the territory. It speaks volumes about Norman’s performance more than anything, but that doesn’t change the fact that he is borderline annoying throughout the film. As said earlier, however, Johnny is still learning. An experienced parent would know how to handle these situations, which is why there are numerous scenes of Johnny nearing a mental breakdown while on the phone with her sister, asking for her advice.

While on their journey, Johnny has to continue his job of collecting interviews of kids in various cities. This area of the plot takes a backseat to the relationship of Johnny and Jesse, which makes sense, though it could have been interesting to see more of Johnny the journalist.

The black and white film feels like it’s making a comeback with recent films “Belfast” and “Passing.” However, something about the use of black and white in “C’mon C’mon” feels incredibly intimate. Perhaps this is due to just how crisp the picture is, or the fact that it takes place in modern times.

“C’mon C’mon” won’t be for everybody. Woody Norman’s performance can be draining to watch, mostly because he is an energetic kid who doesn’t know how to control himself. He is also in the middle of his family breaking up; with the conflict between his mother and father being new waters for him. Mike Mills has been nominated for an Oscar before, but “C’mon C’mon” will definitely be in the conversation for certain awards next spring. Joaquin will wow audiences with his most human performance in years (or perhaps ever). It doesn’t seem likely that he would win another Oscar so soon, but a nomination wouldn’t be surprising or undeserved for that matter.

Grade: B

“C’mon C’mon” is set for a limited release beginning on November 19.