Joker (2019 film)

The highest praise I can give Phoenix’s performance is that he turns “Joker” from a horrible film into one that’s just bad. He’s able to make some sense out of a lazy script that cribs so hard from its inspirations that it’s a wonder he doesn’t declare himself the king of comedy at some point. Between its contradictory and toothless commentary on mental health and class divides as well as its posturing that it’s About Something, especially in a year of excellent films that tackled both masterfully, “Joker”’s air of self-satisfaction ultimately overshadows the worth of its occasional decent tableaus.

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