Joker Mostly Does Well

Rating: 7/10 (15 December 2019)

In this day and age, it could be argued the idea of the Joker character resonates more with society than ever. Certainly, the desire for a Joker film was high prior to this movie being developed, and I'd say we've mostly been rewarded for it.
Joker has a fairly simple plot, which does feel as if it could have been more complex. The interesting thing about the plot is that everything we saw happen may not of actually happened, per Joker having delusions. The plot builds up gradually, perhaps rushing a little in the beginning section that leads to Arthur committing his first murders, but it moves at a steady, enjoyable pace.
The characters of Joker are its strong point. Phoenix plays Joker well and most of the supporting cast have decent roles that keep up with Phoenix.
I feel in retrospect that knowing the name and backstory of Joker goes against the overall mythos of the character. However, I understand that it was an easier way of introducing Joker as the main character and that the idea was to make him as relatable to the audience as possible, but i feel resulted in Joker not having that raw maniacal energy.