Joker Review: A Divisive Descent Into Madness
7.5/10 — Joker (2019)
Pros
- Phoenix's committed performance
- Moody visuals and score
- Iconic stair scene
Cons
- Derivative
- Muddled message
Arthur Fleck, a struggling clown with a mental illness, is pushed to violence by a society that ignores him in 1981 Gotham. Joaquin Phoenix won the Oscar for Best Actor.
What works
Phoenix is mesmerising, thin and twitchy, with a laugh that is both pitiful and frightening. The cinematography and Hildur Guðnadóttir’s cello-driven score create a suffocating atmosphere, and the stair dance is an iconic moment.
Where it falters
The film borrows heavily from Scorsese’s Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, and its message about mental health and violence is muddled.
Verdict
A gripping, if derivative, character study that lives on its lead.
