Skeptical? Don't be. This is a great movie.

Rating: 9/10 (12 October 2019)

"Joker" is one of the best movie I've seen this year. But, lets get this out the way: it's not a comic book movie. In fact this is so far removed from anything 'Batman' related that it could have been called "Clown", and it would have still been the success it is. Setting this movie in fictional Gotham (which is just Ney York), having it orbit the DC universe, does nothing for this movie. In fact I hope Joaquin's quiet madman never turns into any of the other Joker personas we've seen, no not even Heath Ledger's. Joaquin's Joker is a soft spoken, confused and downtrodden man, not some maniac with a grudge against society, and the movie perfectly portrays social upheaval and the affect it can have on people already walking the line between clarity and chaos.
I really don't want to see this guy fight Batman. I think this version of the Joker is too based in reality, which is a good thing, and Joaquin does masterwork here, forcing you to connect with him and his struggles. The movie also has a heavy dose of ambiguity, and some nice twists that you won't see coming. Still, it's not an action movie. In fact, this is a modern day 'Taxi Driver', which is why things like gadgets and fake gun pranks would seem totally out of place.
Don't let skepticism over fake reviews stop you from seeing this great movie.