Just ok

Rating: 2/10 (28 January 2020)

I was very intrigued by Joker when I first saw its preview. I watch quite a few superhero movies with my husband, mainly because he loves them. For the most part, I enjoy Marvel, but haven't bothered watching any DC after viewing the Superman with Henry Cavill. I am sure Joker is probably the best DC based film that has come out since they started competing against Marvel. That being said, I just don't understand a lot of the hype. Yeah, it's really dark and gritty, but it's not much more than that. The movie takes place in a kind of hybrid reality that is part 1980's New York and Batman's Gotham City. But after watching it, I have no idea what message it's trying to relay. Something like...big cities are gross and the people are mean and the rich are meaner, so everyone put on clown masks and riot because a guy dressed like a clown killed some people. Really??
If you truly want to see a wonderful film about a socially awkward man's decent into psychopathic criminal activity, see Taxi Driver instead. Sorry, but there are no "super villains" involved. Instead, it tells a believable story of a city dwelling "everyman" who suffers from delusions of grandeur and has a penchant for violence. The acting, while somewhat over-the-top, feels true, yet unexpected.
Lastly, I must mention that I also recently watched Joaquin Phoenix in The Master. As with Joker, it felt like I was watching more of a caricature than an actual character. It's all about wild gesticulations and making strange faces. In Joker, I actually found it offensive toward people with true mental illness. Personally, I prefer Phoenix's more subtle performances, such as Theodore in Her. Besides, no one will ever play the Joker as well as Heath Ledger. Yes, Ledger was extravagant and offensive, but it worked because that film was so clearly based on a comic book.