Is it just me, or is it getting crazier out there?
Arthur Fleck

That definitely feels true. Joker is set in the early 80s and is loosely based on the origin of the Joker (DC Comic character and arch rival of Batman). This version is written and directed by Todd Phillips (the director of The Hangover films…yep) and stars Joaquin Phoenix in the title role.

Almost everyone has their opinion of the film and how they feel about it, so take what you can from them, but, this is what I thought of it.

The Joker is a gritty hard hitting study of a man’s decline into madness. Arthur Fleck is a lonely troubled man, who between caring for his ill mother and performing for kids as a clown, dreams of being a stand up comedian – his only problem, he isn’t very funny.

This sounds familiar and fans of Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese will recall King of Comedy (1982) and the painful Rupert Pupkin having the same dilemma (incidentally De Niro plays the chat show host Murray Franklin whom Arthur adores). Unfortunately Arthur or ‘happy’ as his mother calls him is living in a world that just doesn’t understand him, again sound familiar? Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver (1976). Clearly these two films have influenced Phillips and he borrows seamlessly from them, but this is not in the same calibre as these, it stands alone.

The central performance from Joaquin Phoenix delivers the punchlines (sorry). His lean skeleton holds the meat of the film (sorry again). He is mesmerising, he portrays sadness, depression, anger, loneliness and happiness brilliantly. It’s a masterclass on acting, he lives and breathes the character.

The supporting cast is good, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz and Frances Conroy to name, watch out for Glenn Fleshler (Remus from Boardwalk Empire) and Brian Tyree Henry (Paper Boi from Atlanta).

The music is standout, Icelandic Hildur Gudnadottir sets the right tone and style to the film (to be noted she did the music for this and Chernobyl at around the same time). There has been some subject of debate for one music choice and I don’t why that particular piece of music was used when others could have been selected, perhaps Phillips was wanting the reaction? (jerk). The cinematography is good and adds grittiness to the screen, the makeup is good too, I like how Phoenix has adopted a different clown paint – slightly reminiscent of Doink the Clown from WWE though).

The film is rated R so be prepared to see violence, however there are probably less deaths in here than in most of the Marvel films, yep, and when it happens you can feel the magnitude of it.

I would still recommend seeing this (unless you have coulrophobia) and making your own mind up on how you feel about it, one thing is for certain you will be talking about it for some time, which is what Phillips probably wanted – ‘send in the clowns…they are already here’.

Rating 3.5/5