Watch it as an independent psychological thriller but not as a 'Rise of Joker' film.

Rating: 6/10 (4 October 2019)

A film with a laudable performance by Phoenix. The film highlights several unpleasant aspects:
1. The PBA disturbance which I doubt the masses(which includes me) are aware of and the traumatic life such a person may lead
2. The effects of the lack of medication for such a disturbance or the effectiveness of such medicines, in first place
3. The never-ending saga of bullying
4. The general insensitivity of the media and talk show hosts.
The background score of the movie is good but is an overkill.
The screenplay of the movie, the themes and the in general the origin story/retrofit is not only unconvincing and flawed but also seems to deliver a wrong message.
1. The obsession of linking Joker/Fleck to the Wayne family - Fleck's mother's history, Wayne Enterprise employees beating up Fleck and finally the ideological assassination of the Wayne family by a protester
2. Fleck being adopted and having suffered childhood abuse is such a lame and clichéd plot aspect used by the writers
3. Plausible:
Lack of medication, disturbing discoveries and sort of revenge causes Fleck to go on a killing spree and even enjoying the attention that he receives unexpectedly
Implausible:
Social commentary by Fleck on the show, his sudden liking to riots and chaos. I couldn't believe that they send a detective/psychiatrist to meet Fleck in jail but she's unaware of his disorder and thinks that a PBA-suffering Fleck is laughing at some joke!! Seriously? Are the police and other agencies do dumb to not investigate history of such a criminal?
4. While it's unfair to go into too much of details, I don't understand how a person who likes to dance and become a stand-up comedian would end up having a predilection and some talent in chemical weapons, dynamite, explosives etc. Which are Joker's speciality? Is the viewer supposed to assume that the Fleck cultivates these skills from scratch after he turns into 'Joker'?
5. Last but the most important point - Joker, as we know since ages, is a class-I psychopath who feels no remorse or emotions and enjoys killings and chaos. While such psychopaths get a bit influenced by their surroundings, they are genetically/pathologically having some issues that makes them what they are. In this movie, they somehow try to come up with a cocktail of reasons that give rise to Joker. The worse part is the that riots, vandalism and criminal activities are portrayed as a natural outcome of expressing your discontent.
Overall, the movie is a poor origin story of an iconic psychopath like Joker. Watch it as an independent psychological thriller but not as a 'Rise of Joker' film.