"That's Life."

Rating: 8/10 (4 October 2019)

In an era of cinema so saturated with superheroes and gritty remakes, Todd Phillips and Phoenix somehow take a character so deeply intrenched in pop culture and create something compelling and unique. This film is unafraid to be bleak and scary without offering much to the viewer as a means of comfort. The only way we can deal with the harsh cruelties of the world is by treating it as a joke. Upon leaving this movie, you will not hate Joker, you will hate the world that made him.
Phoenix simply cannot be praised enough. He brings both sympathy and tragedy in the way he moves his eyes, the way he contorts his shoulders, the way he laughs. A lesser actor would be unable to swing his moods from as far extremes as Phoenix does nor add the layers that Phoenix intricately builds for his character. The way he twists and writhes his body is mesmerizing and brings even more tragedy to the Joker. This is Phoenix's movie.
As for the technical side, this movie is far different than any other super hero films of recent years. The cinematographer and director choose a shallow focus, giving Pheonix a) the undivided attention of the viewer and b) a more personal feel to the film. There are wide shots with deep focus, but they are used sparingly because this movie is about a character, not action or explosions. The color palette of this movie is intentionally composed of dour greens, blues and tepid yellows--- all of which gives the world a sickly feel. The soundtrack is used affectively, bringing waves of optimism to intentionally clash with our protagonist's angry depression. This film will likely be compared to The Dark Knight and DCEU films, which I don't find to be fair. This film is far more akin to The Machinist and The King of Comedy in tone and visual style.
I recommend this film, and I think anything short of an Oscar nomination for Phoenix would be disrespectful to the effort he gives. However, I have one gripe I would like to voice. I found the tie-ins to the Wayne family to be unnecessary. It came across as pandering to an audience that loves Easter eggs more-so than the story itself. In my opinion, I think the story would have worked even better if it had distanced itself from the Batman story. Other than that, I had little issue with the rest of the film.
Joker is a movie that tells us life is full of sadness, and then gives us a character whose purpose is to spread laughter and joy. I was going to finish this review with a joke, but, you wouldn't get it.