Movie Review: ‘Joker’ delivers strong performance and weak story

Poster courtesy of IMDB

By Catherine Engstrom-Hadley
Staff Writer

Grade: A-

See it if: You want to see a superhero something other than spandex

Skip it if: You don’t enjoy a new spin on a classic story

Would you have sympathy for a clown-for-hire? Todd Phillips likes to think so. “Joker” steps way out of the DC cinematic universe, taking the audience back all the way back to 1981.

We learn the life of Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) and his journey to becoming a sociopathic villain. The movie shows a descent into madness, and the powerful impact of capitalism on the working poor.

Phoenix gave a really powerful performance; he really sold the audience on Arthur, allowing us to feel sympathy for his character, despite him doing some truly horrendous things.

The movie itself is beautifully shot for how dark of a story it is. The costume department outdid themselves and the makeup that Arthur wears is loosely based off of John Wayne Gacy’s (an American serial killer) Pogo the Clown, which adds an even more sinister spin to the already unhinged Joker.

“Joker” left me wanting more. Phoenix gave the performance his all, but I wanted to see more of the story from outside of Arthur.

This movie has already become deeply divisive with critics. Many critics worry that this movie will leave viewers not grasping the idea that Arthur is the bad guy. And Arthur is the bad guy, he is a narcissist before he ever pulls the trigger, demanding attention and stopping at nothing to get it.