Not a Joker film, however...

Rating: 10/10 (6 October 2019)

I guess the people not happy with this film expected a typical "Joker" movie. It's not. It's a film about the man who 'becomes' the Joker. A character study. This is not a feel good movie and don't expect to leave the cinema feeling happy. It's depressing, it's bleak and it's quite uncomfortable to watch at points. It has a constant fog of dread hanging over it that's heavy.
You feel sorry for this person, probably even root for him and that's a real weird thing as we know what he eventually becomes, but I suspect that was the point.
The music score is outstanding, adding massively to the film in no other way I can think of than how the track from Jaws impacted that film so much.
The filmography is also top not notch.
Phoenix is absolutely electric, you cannot take your eyes off him. If he doesn't win an Oscar for this performance, he might as well pack up and forget about it. He could do no more.
Best film I've seen in a long time, which is a weird thing as, again, you don't leave with a feel good vibe, but it's all the better for it.
Outstanding.