Great drama, with a stand-out performance from Joaquin Phoenix

Rating: 8/10 (4 October 2019)

Gotham City. Arthur Fleck works as a clown and is also an aspiring stand-up comic. He has mental health issues, part of which involves uncontrollable laughter. Times are tough and, due to his issues and occupation, Arthur has an even worse time than most. Over time these issues bear down on him, shaping his actions, making him ultimately take on the persona he is more known as...Joker.
Great drama. While the movie fits into the Batman universe, and this could easily be seen as a prequel to Joker's character in The Dark Knight (where Joker was played superbly by Heath Ledger), this is not a comic-book movie. If it was a comic-book movie, it would have ended up another one in a long, seemingly endless line of them, one hardly discernible from the next.
No, this is a human/psychological drama, and a very good one. Writer-director Todd Phillips creates a dark, depressing world with Arthur Fleck one of its primary casualties. The slow, inevitable progress of Arthur Fleck from innocent man to master-criminal is an interesting journey as Phillips rachets up the tension.
What was then required was a performance that captured that darkness, helplessness and gradual disintegration and Joaquin Phoenix gives that, perfectly and spectacularly. Spot-on casting and delivery.
Not quite the perfect movie though. Pacing was a bit off: some scenes seem dragged out too long. I know Phillips was drawing it out to create tension and atmosphere, but on a few occasions it feels like he overdoes it.
It is also difficult, from a point, to be sympathetic towards Arthur Fleck. You start out supporting him, feeling that he is a victim rather than a villain, but, as his actions become more extreme, that engagement wanes.
The story also feels like it is missing something to make it 100% complete. No, I'm not expecting this to link in with The Dark Knight. In fact, many of the Batman references actually seemed unnecessary, more there for audiences to gasp and say "Oh, so that's how Joker fits in with Batman", rather than adding anything to this story. A few scenes beyond the final scene might have been in order, to see more of Joker's history.
Overall, still a great movie though.