Joker
Stream
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During the 1980s, a failed stand-up comedian is driven insane and turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City while becoming an infamous psychopathic crime figure.
What critics thought
DivisiveJoker is a genuinely divisive film: Phoenix's performance is almost universally admired, but critics split sharply over whether Todd Phillips earns the film's dark ambitions or merely imitates Scorsese without understanding him. Admirers found it a bold, unsettling allegory for contemporary neglect and violence; detractors called it derivative, philosophically hollow, and potentially irresponsible. Audiences responded far more warmly than critics as a whole.
“Phoenix is astonishing as a mentally ill geek who becomes the killer-clown Joker in Todd Phillips' neo-Taxi Driver knockout: the rare comic-book movie that expresses what's happening in the real world”
Owen Gleiberman·Variety
“Joker is the boldest and most exciting superhero movie since The Dark Knight”
David Ehrlich·IndieWire
“less in entertainment than in generating self-importance”
RogerEbert.com
“he's just offering a prime example of it”
Stephanie Zacharek·Time
“Joker has an ace card in the form of Joaquin Phoenix's mesmerisingly physical portrayal of a man who would be king”
Mark Kermode·The Observer
Accolades
Genres
Crime, Drama, Thriller
Cast & Crew
Todd PhillipsDirector
Joaquin PhoenixArthur Fleck
Robert De NiroMurray Franklin
Zazie BeetzSophie Dumond
Frances ConroyPenny Fleck
Brett CullenThomas Wayne
Shea WhighamDetective Burke
Bill CampDetective Garrity
Glenn FleshlerRandall
Leigh GillGary
Josh PaisHoyt Vaughn
Marc MaronGene Ufland
Hildur GuðnadóttirComposer
Scott SilverWriter
Lawrence SherCinematographyJoker
During the 1980s, a failed stand-up comedian is driven insane and turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City while becoming an infamous psychopathic crime figure.
What critics thought
DivisiveJoker is a genuinely divisive film: Phoenix's performance is almost universally admired, but critics split sharply over whether Todd Phillips earns the film's dark ambitions or merely imitates Scorsese without understanding him. Admirers found it a bold, unsettling allegory for contemporary neglect and violence; detractors called it derivative, philosophically hollow, and potentially irresponsible. Audiences responded far more warmly than critics as a whole.
“Phoenix is astonishing as a mentally ill geek who becomes the killer-clown Joker in Todd Phillips' neo-Taxi Driver knockout: the rare comic-book movie that expresses what's happening in the real world”
Owen Gleiberman·Variety
“Joker is the boldest and most exciting superhero movie since The Dark Knight”
David Ehrlich·IndieWire
“less in entertainment than in generating self-importance”
RogerEbert.com
“he's just offering a prime example of it”
Stephanie Zacharek·Time
“Joker has an ace card in the form of Joaquin Phoenix's mesmerisingly physical portrayal of a man who would be king”
Mark Kermode·The Observer
Accolades
Genres
Crime, Drama, Thriller
Cast & Crew
Todd PhillipsDirectorJoaquin PhoenixArthur FleckRobert De NiroMurray FranklinZazie BeetzSophie DumondFrances ConroyPenny FleckBrett CullenThomas WayneShea WhighamDetective BurkeBill CampDetective GarrityGlenn FleshlerRandallLeigh GillGaryJosh PaisHoyt VaughnMarc MaronGene UflandHildur GuðnadóttirComposerScott SilverWriterLawrence SherCinematographyStream
Rent & Buy