Joker (2019) ***1/2

Though Joker (2019) is not as good of a film as the classics that it pulls inspiration from and seems to emulate—Taxi Driver (1976) (my review here), The King Of Comedy (1982), A Clockwork Orange (1971), Network (1976) among them—it is undeniably a well-crafted anti-superhero movie, villain origin story, and psychological drama.

Joker has the kind of ultra serious tone that the Christopher Nolan Batman films became known for, with an even darker and more violent approach. There is very little that is funny in this film—if someone told me that this was intended as a black comedy, then I'd say they had a drastically different interpretation than me.

1981 Gotham (pretty much New York City) is very effectively evoked through the cinematography. The production design presents a time capsule but is never showy about, or subservient to, the time period. Whereas some films feel like actors cosplaying in a modern film, Joker actually looks and feels like a film shot in the early 80s, where the 70s hadn't quite disappeared yet.

Joaquin Phoenix is expectedly excellent and it is really his show the whole way through. In this viewer's opinion the film mostly does a good job of sympathizing with its titular character's plight but not his actions. There seemed to be a bit of glorification in the finale, but while I could understand if some people could relate to certain aspects of Arthur P. Fleck's life, I can't understand why anyone would find him inspirational.

One of the few things I took issue with was the over-villainization of Thomas Wayne—it was a bit too heavy-handed and seemed out of character. I haven't read any of the various comics and alternate stories that I'm sure are out there, but he seemed a bit too drastically different than the versions of the character that I'm accustomed to.

It's impossible to review or view this film without noting how steeped in politics it is, whether intentionally or not. There's been plenty of controversy and opinions about how the film might inspire copycats. It's no different than two of the films I mentioned earlier. There will always be films and music that cause concern from critics, politicians, parents, etc. Art doesn't always have to be confrontational, but if there wasn't art that was, the world would be a boring place.

Joker doesn't offer any answers or make any bold statements about how to fix issues like mental health, merely presents a story about an individual and his confused, troubled life. He never asks to be a martyr but when he's been abused in various forms his whole life he can't help but adore the spotlight and the infamy he receives when it does come.

I don't quite know how to feel or how to rate Joker immediately after seeing it, but some films take some time and/or multiple viewings to fully process. It's definitely a film that stirred some emotions in me and left me thinking. Whether or not I loved the film or not is irrelevant in that case—it's a sign that it's provocative art and I will always welcome that.