I saw Joker once. That was enough. Not only does it openly rip off Taxi Driver and the King of Comedy (I mean, they cast Robert De Niro in it), it does it poorly with the plot phoned in. The only thing it had going for it was Joaquin Phoenix performance as a nihilistic outcast who turns to serial killing because he’s butthurt. Phoenix is a great actor and he nailed the part. Todd Phillips even said (I’m paraphrasing) that his directorial style for the movie amounted to pointing the camera at Phoenix and letting him chew scenery.
I’m glad I got to see Phoenix’s performance. I have no desire to ever see the movie again and don’t blame anyone for eschewing entirely due to the depressingly pathetic subject matter. There are plenty of other great parts in which I can re-watch Phoenix. As for Jokers, I’ll stick with Mark Hamill and Heath Ledger.
I doubt I’ll see the sequel.
