Style over substance. An "Instagram" masterpiece. An average movie.

Rating: 7/10 (25 October 2019)

Joker movie is very interesting because it really reflects the era we are living in. Everything is about style, superficiality. Nothing about the substance, depth.
In that sense, Joker achieved to be an imagery masterpiece ......but with no depth or substance.
Instagram boys will love it.
Men reading books will be disappointed
Let's talk about the positive first. As I mentioned, the imagery, the details to the visual environment is incredible. You really are transported into the depressing world of the Joker, of the old Gotham City (New York if you prefer).
The storyline is fluid, building tension all along. Even though the movie fails in the depth category, and I'll come to that down below, it is very enjoyable.
The performance of Joaquin Phoenix is great. He totally emerged himself in the Joker, even physically, loosing much wait. Which makes him a totally believable Joker.
Now let's talk about what's really missing and where the moving completely fails.
The Joker is probably one of the worst, if not, the worst vilain in the DC comics universe. He has no super powers, but his craziness and his intelligence makes him the most dangerous of all. He has no limits.
And this is where the movie fails if you consider that this is a full length movie about the Joker. To go deeper, to explain why he is what he is, not superficially, but in his mind. Being beaten with a crazy mother is not enough to explain the Joker. Many children are beaten and have crazy parents.
The movie fails to explain what makes him so crazy and so intelligent at the same time.What books did he read ? How does he know so much about human nature, about psychology ? How did he learn to be so manipulative ? What makes him the worst psychopath ever ?
In essence, what exactly destroyed him in a very detailed manner.
And what build him (his skills, intelligence) in a very detailed manner.
Again, you do not become the Joker just by being beaten while a child, then working as a clown in the street and then killing people.
You become the Joker by living the extremes in life : self destruction and self development.
The Joker from Heath Ledger had more depth than the one from Joaquin Phoenix. Period.
If there's a Joker 2 (and I've heard they're talking about doing it), I hope they will fill this huge gap.