Bucket list viewing.

Rating: 10/10 (21 October 2019)

I'd been resisting seeing this film for weeks watching others and admittedly not really enjoying any of them. Finally there was nothing else of interest to watch so off we went.
The opening scene of laughter triggered a painfully visceral sense of discomfort. Like being hit with a 2X4 I was awake and focused. Like many others I did not expect this and I did not expect this from Todd Phillips so my bad on both counts. Powerful, moving and brilliant in many respects this seemed like a curtain going up to reveal a whole new form of film making. I couldn't help think of Dostoevsky's "The Idiot" and how it could be re-imagined so that today's audiences would flock to it. Using veils such as "the Joker" might just be the vehicle to make it work.
I'm also bemused at peoples comparisons to Heath Ledgers Joker. While the connection seems obvious, I'd suggest Ledger and Phoenix's joker should be judged independently as standalone works of creative brilliance.
Strangely I'm suddenly not interested in watching other comic book stories after seeing the Joker be they DC or Marvel.
If you like myself had/have any preconceived ideas, set them aside and see The Joker.