Simply Brilliant

Rating: 10/10 (5 October 2019)

I RARELY give a movie a 10 star review, and certainly never one based on a comic book. Joker is anything but.....no superhero gimmicks, no inane henchmen, no overblown plots to rule/destroy the world. Quite simply, it masterfully tells the story of a man pushed to his breaking point by a society that has forgotten him. I had heard all of the hype around its potential for inciting violence and, quite frankly, had disregarded it as noise from people who don't appreciate the art of film. Then I saw the film and instantly understood. The film does NOT promote random acts of violence. Instead, it presents a story in which these random acts can almost seem justified. Furthermore, it challenges us to look inward at ourselves and how we treat others and how that treatment affects them. I would challenge any film-goer to watch it without, at some point, seeing a glimpse of themself in the protagonist played flawlessly by Joaquin Phoenix. If he does not win an Oscar for his performance, the Academy might as well just shut its doors.
And don't listen to the critics....they are merely kowtowing to the current mainstream idea that anything that doesn't portray the world as some sort of utopia is inherently value-less.