Disjointed, Cliched, Yet Effective

Rating: 6/10 (21 October 2019)

Don't listen to the unbelievably high average score, this is not a great movie. It leans on cliches, it struggles to communicate vital character details, but it manages to pull together a strong closing act to elevate an otherwise inconsistent film.
'Joker' stumbles out of the gate by throwing a plethora of "troubled loner" cliches at us. The scenes read almost as a list, giving the early stages of the film a disjointed feel that hampers any sense of immersion. The only aspect of our lead, Arthur Fleck, that seems original is his affliction. His sudden outbursts of laughter during tense situations are used to great effect several times throughout the first act.
As the story continues, 'Joker' wastes time on a sub-par subplot involving Arthur's neighbor. Another sub-plot, involving Thomas Wayne, is far more interesting and clever in its execution.
Ultimately, 'Joker' becomes a story of Arthur breaking free and flourishing in the chaos of Gotham. The final act revels in his now unrestrained insanity. However, the film struggles to convey a clear image of what exactly is happening within Arthur. Is he an idiot savant, or a brilliant mastermind set free of his bonds. You can go back through the film if you wish and identify plot points to either effect if you wish (the latter seems more likely in retrospect). However, this failure of communication lessens the impact of the film, leaving you somewhat disappointed.
Nevertheless, the final act is an exciting close to the film, though it probably should have ended about 5 minutes earlier than it did (the final scene is unneeded). Regardless, the result is a unique and fascinating comic book movie held back from greatness by a shaky start and questionable communication.