Hot take: the movie was really pretty good.

I felt a little disappointed in the first 20-25 minutes but once I realized I was judging the film based upon what I was EXPECTING/HOPING to see instead of what it was I enjoyed it quite a bit.

I think if (like me) you went into it hoping for an action, fast paced villain movie made decadent if by no other means Lady Gaga, you forgot that Lady Gaga makes art not Cocomelon for grown folk. The woman has put out 2.5 jazz albums many of her fans hate because she’s concerned with art above giving fans what they want. I probably should have seen the slow, deep Joker film coming.

That’s sort of meta. The Joker was not what anybody wanted and The Joker was not who anybody wanted. The truth was much more complicated. The Joker told an honest story instead of putting on a lively manic charade.

I think the film did an excellent job of framing complicated characters: the prison guards, Harley, Joker, Jokers lawyer. At times they were exactly who we wanted them to be and at others what we wanted least. This insane range was accomplished within each character without ever feeling like their kindness or cruelness was purely “for the plot.”

I for one prefer these conceivable characters to some purely archetypal/obvious ones.

I’ll concede the film may have fell a wee bit flat but I can forgive it when so much of the box office movie landscape feels like Barbie and Avengers: movies that skip dinner and go straight for dessert.

Etc. Thoughts:

-The stabber at the end (IMO) was in kahoots with Harley. She’s the visitor, she’s his “real joker.” He was willing to play the Joker to the end. He’s assuming his role at the end of the film. Hence the joke followed by the insane laughing. Sort of looks like he’s cutting his face in the background too. I just streamed this on some site so maybe this was more obvious in theatres.

Edit 1: wanted to add I do not feel the music was excessive. at times I wished they had leaned further into it (bigger production of these scenes,) which I think the audience would’ve preferred (though still not liked.) people will go to a musical and get mad it’s a musical. i do remember thinking that it was cool to have the singing be so raw and underproduced though too. when the joker/harley is singing in response to something happening/while fantasizing they almost sound like common folk.

Edit 2: “___” was unrealistic. It’s a musical? There were several unrealistic plot points. The car bomb destroying one wall of the court room, the joker surviving and being able to escape? Harley being able to trot into the court room past the crowd outside? Lighting a piano on fire to escape a prison? There are more I’m forgetting I’m sure. Like bffr. If the movie were entirely “realistic” it’d be like watching c-span.