Not your average comic book movie

Rating: 10/10 (4 October 2019)

I should preface this review by saying that I'm a comic book collector and comic book movie fan; so I was wary going into this film after the questionable choices made in Warner Bros. recent cinematic outings with Batman.
I had nothing to worry about; the movie was engaging and engrossing from start to finish.
Everyone talks about Joaquin Phoenix's performance and with good reason. His portrayal of a downtrodden, broken man on a self-destructive path is compelling, intense and yet beautifully nuanced.
There have been many comparisons to Taxi Driver, which I had heard before going into the cinema and the comparisons do hold up. The story, from the start to the end, has strong parallels to Taxi Driver and stands up well as a similarly bleak cautionary tale of a man driven past his limits.
The cinematography and music both work to elevate what is already a fantastic film to the level of high art. Hildur GuÃ°nadÃ³ttir's score is dark and haunting, and in certain scenes (the dance in the dank public toilet, in particular) serves to reflect and amplify the emotions of Phoenix's Joker.
I don't often feel the urge to write a longwinded review that exceeds my abilities as a writer, but Joker is the kind of film that inspires that in me.