Wow!!! A powerful portrayal of victim turned villain

Rating: 9/10 (14 October 2019)

The movie is slow in parts, but builds into the final emotive scenes with great skill and believability. Amazing acting from Joaquin Phoenix.
Are villains born that way, or made? The film reveals the latter for this Joker, building piece by piece why he becomes the murderous person of comic book fame. The themes presented, such as mental illness as a complex, multifaceted condition as well as the influence that nurture (or lack thereof) has upon future capacity and happiness are on trend (and believable). I was a bit disappointed by the final portrayal of his mother, as she was also a victim (as no doubt was the perpetrator of the crime that set both mother and son on their bitter and tragic trajectory). Our local newspaper rarely gives 5 star reviews, and the movie did not disappoint. I wanted to riot too! (against the unfairness of a system that tends to fail our most vulnerable.) It is not a new message, but one worth repeating. Thanks to the director, actors, crew and producers.