Had it been anyone else, I would have likely hated this movie

Rating: 8/10 (30 January 2020)

The best part of this movie was Joaquin's talent as a performer. He was truly at his best. He was believable and, while I don't actually relate to his character, I felt his pain when people hurt him. Incredible acting which alone deserved a 10.
Unfortunately, I wasn't as impressed by certain aspects of the storyline. I don't mind a fresh look at a character's history, but not if it means that what I already know about them and their world is so different that it's hard to reconcile them. In the end, I could blur details and accept the plot, but it doesn't feel the same as if it just fit and made sense and was perfect. Hey, I'm OCD. Details are never minor for me.
This movie made me sad for a reason other than a broken man shattering though. My respect for Bruce's parents and his father's legacy are injured by this fresh look at their past. If Thomas Wayne wanted to help fix Gotham, he should have considered ways to help reduce poverty which is something that would have improved crime. Instead, he pointed fingers at the poor and, when he assumed he was being retaliated against for it, he decided to run for mayor. I'm sorry, but why? To put himself in a position of direct power over them? Wayne was already a very wealthy, influential person in Gotham. What was he going to do to help the city that he couldn't already do without a political position? Hurt poor people even more and cause society to devolve even faster? So is he that ignorant or just another rich person? He's not the kind of father I could be proud of. I feel even sadder for Bruce than before.