JOKER would have been a better movie if it wasn't trying to shoehorn in the Joker character and the Batman mythos into it. Joaquin Phoenix does a great acting job but sometimes his character doesn't ring true as the Joker. It manages to be topical about the class war between the lower class and the one percent. The alienation felt by citizens when the rich rule and how mental health services suffer. Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) suffers from mental problems and works as a clown while dreaming of being a stand-up comedian. However, his act is made fun of by his idol, talk show host Murray Franklin (Robert DeNiro), and he is even invited to be a guest on Murray's show. JOKER does have a conversation on mental health and when too much leads to a breaking point.

The mental problems of Arthur Fleck bring me full circle to whether this is a proper origin of the Joker and whether is the Joker in full spirit. Sometimes you see the real character of the Joker, but sometimes you see conflicts in whether this is a proper take on the Joker. I do feel the characters of Thomas Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth are miscast. The casting of JOKER says more about the tastes for actors that director Todd Phillips wants for this movie than having the proper actors to make this a good JOKER movie. I really think a big origin movie about the JOKER is sometimes pointless. If this wasn't a JOKER movie, this movie would be a better movie for it and yet it wouldn't being seeing the big box office if it didn't have that character name recognition.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
BECOMING JOKER- a quick look at Joaquin Phoenix in character as the Joker
JOKER: VISION & FURY- promotional fluff piece on the movie
PLEASE WELCOME...JOKER!- various takes showing off the different performance Phoenix brings to the Joker in one scene
JOKER: A CHRONICLE OF CHAOS- a slideshow gallery of the movie

Digital copy of the JOKER movie

FINAL ANALYSIS: I enjoyed JOKER for the most part, but I do feel it fails when it is trying to make it an alternate take of the Joker. JOKER would have been a better movie without using the characters of the Joker and Gotham to tell the story of mental health problems, social problems, and the struggle against the richest one percent who are detached from the problems of society in general.

This review is (c)1-15-2020 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com