Todd Russell’s review published on Letterboxd:
"I hope my death makes more cents than my life." - Arthur Fleck (Joker)
Misspelled quote from Fleck's joke book.
This was a unique film in the sense that it was pure antagonist. There isn't any light for Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix). He's a loner and loser that lives with his mother who is sick and plays clown by day. From the opening scene, the viewer seems meant to feel badly for Fleck, but we never really do because Fleck is weird. He has a strange laugh, odd behavior and that is the best I can say about Fleck, because darkness surrounds him.
I like different in movies and this movie was different, but left the theater feeling depressed. It wasn't a bad movie, but it was a movie about being bad. Being really bad. I needed more light to love this, but I liked it for how it was a unique story. Recommended for one watch, but it's not the kind of movie I'll likely ever watch again.
Here is my under five minute Joker movie review on YouTube (no spoilers). Recorded in the car on the way home right after I left the theater. It was the first ever showing in our area.