Joker: Misfit of Gotham City and Batman Series

Rating: 7.6/10

Fascinatingly horrifying, Joker is a film that pulls you into the story of Arthur Flick while forcing you to reconsider the stigma surrounding mental health.

Highlights:

• Joaquin Phoenix channels the Joker's energy magnificently

• Satisfyingly creepy

• Highlights the stigmatization of mental health

Lowlights: 

• Very dark (not necessarily a bad thing, but be prepared)

• Phoenix's Joker doesn't fit into the Batman saga

• Occasionally unrealistic

Bottom line: Joker was a good film. Phoenix was creepily convincing and emulated Arthur Flick down to the bone while the story contained enough references to the Batman saga to remind you that it was in the series. However, Joker humanized Flick. This is essential for a stand-alone movie -- the lead character must be a relatable person capable of invoking empathy -- but as it explained the backstory of an important character in a larger series, incorporating the brand-new Joker created by Phoenix into a Batman movie would be difficult. In addition, the portrayal of Flick's mental health raises important questions. If a child has awful things happen to them, does this at all excuse or change the gravity of awful things they do as an adult? The words and actions of Flick, including one writing in his journal -- "The worst part about having a mental illness is that people expect you to behave as if you don't" -- show the disturbingly unfair expectations of people with mental illnesses and makes you question the expectations of society.

Did you watch the movie? Do you want more? Check out Heath Ledger's Joker in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight. If you haven't seen the movie but you enjoyed Joker, you're in for a treat. The movie is dark in a similar way and Ledger's performance is incredible, yet you may see how the Jokers between the two movies don't align.

Check out the trailer!