Great film, a character study with masterful perfomance from Pheonix. Not a totally comfortable film to watch but that makes it more of a masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (9 October 2019)

Great film, if uncomfortable to watch in parts. This is not a comic book film. It's a character study of a severely mentally ill person, Arthur Flek, who seems to be living under a permanently dark cloud as life dumps on him from every angle even when he's trying to act positively. His mother had always told him to put on a happy face and bring joy and laughter to the world. Even to the extent of calling him Happy. He also has a condition where he uncontrollably breaks into laughter. However inside he is all negative thoughts and this is tearing him apart, even his therapist won't listen.
An amazing performance from Pheonix that deserves an Oscar in my mind. He's a very different Joker to Ledger however. Ledgers joker was highly intelligent and anarchic with a dose of insanity. This Joker is insane to the membrane and almost stumbles into the role of the instigator of anarchy and destruction.
Many critics have severely dropped the ball on this one. The film won an award at the Venice film festival but on IMDB while viewers reviews stand at 9/10 which is about right on my reckoning, the critics stand at 5.8, only certain critics have given it the credit it deserves.
I think many critics have wondered about the influence of the film. Amongst a plethora of films with large amounts of casual violence, one critic even asked the question about "is the violence justified" in this film. The violence in Joker is relatively limited compared to many modern films but when it comes its hard hitting and the psychotic nature of it is in no way glamourising violence. Another said the "social commentary is garbage". Really?
The film sketches out the development of the character that gives the reasons for why he turns out to be a killer. However please do not confuse reasons set out through a careful and consistent character development with justification of the killing. This is not the same thing - being afraid to come up with reasons because it may be confused as justification can result in rather insipid films. Another person could experience the same and never turn out to be a killer. Its when you put a person with psychopathic tendencies through this mill with virtually useless mental health support and give him the means and motivation for violence then the result is tending on the inevitable.
Incidentally, there is a very interesting documentary I saw about psychopaths where the narrator takes the "psychopath test" and finds out that he has many traits common to a psychopath and realises that it explains some of the aspects of this personality but the reason why he his a normal functioning and valuable citizen is because he had a good loving upbringing and supportive family.
Flek lives in a city that itself is falling apart, the garbage isn't being collected and even super rats are roaming the streets. Even then there appear to be many that are living in wealth and even mocking the poor. Seriously what do you think may be likely to happen? Anyone heard of the French revolution (although no it actually nowhere as bad as that!)? If your someone who wants to keep this aspect of our reality "under the lid" and out of sight maybe you wont like this film. Otherwise go and enjoy!