---
title: "Joker"
year: 2019
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/joker"
fi1m_id: "joker"
imdb_id: "tt7286456"
tmdb_id: 475557
wikidata_id: "Q42759035"
fi1m_score: 63
critics_score: 67
critics_reviews: 16
published: "2026-09-15"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:32.659242+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Joker (2019)

Directed by Todd Phillips · 2h 02m · MPA R · Crime, Thriller, Drama

## Identity

Joker

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/joker
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** joker
- **IMDb ID:** tt7286456
- **TMDB ID:** 475557
- **Wikidata ID:** Q42759035
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7286456/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/475557, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q42759035

**Fi1m score: 63** · Critics 67 from 16 reviews

*In a sentence:* Joaquin Phoenix works harder at being miserable than the screenplay works at explaining it

> Joaquin Phoenix makes Arthur Fleck’s distress difficult to dismiss, and Todd Phillips builds an oppressive setting around him. But *Joker* keeps repeating its grievances when it needs to examine them: a gripping performance in a limited drama.

## Synopsis

Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is an alienated man living with mental illness in a city divided by class. As his resentment towards the society around him grows, *Joker* follows the making of a comic-book villain through a crime drama focused on his psychological distress. Todd Phillips directs, with Robert De Niro as Murray Franklin, Zazie Beetz as Sophie Dumond and Frances Conroy as Penny Fleck. The city takes its cues from 1970s New York, providing the setting for a story about exclusion, grievance and the approach of violence.

## Review

*Joker* is a forcefully acted crime drama whose social commentary is much less persuasive than its leading man. Todd Phillips wants us to look closely at Arthur Fleck before treating him as a comic-book villain, and that is a worthwhile starting point. Joaquin Phoenix makes the attention difficult to withdraw. The difficulty is that the film keeps presenting resentment as though its mere intensity explains it. We can believe that Arthur is suffering without accepting every conclusion the film draws from his suffering.

Phoenix is particularly good at making Arthur’s distress physical, so that even watching him seems to require effort. His control keeps the grotesqueness of the performance from becoming merely a collection of mannerisms. We found the bodily strain painful to watch, because Arthur looks as though he cannot find a comfortable way to exist among other people. That reaction matters more than the script’s repeated reminders of his alienation. For a time, the performance supplies enough to keep the film absorbing.

Lawrence Sher’s cinematography and production designer Mark Friedberg give the city a convincing look of neglect. The New York influence, drawn from the 1970s, helps make this urban nightmare feel closer to a recognisable place than a comic-book backdrop. We can see why Arthur might feel trapped here. Yet the oppressive images are also relentless: misery is given so much emphasis that there is little space to notice anything else about the people living in it.

Hildur Guðnadóttir’s score presses the sorrow hard, and its weight suits Phoenix’s performance. It also leaves us wishing for moments when the music would stop telling us how much everything hurts. Jeff Groth’s editing keeps Arthur firmly at the centre, but cannot disguise how often the drama returns to the same complaint. After a while, the accumulation becomes wearing. Some of that discomfort is plainly intended; the repetition is still a weakness.

Writers Todd Phillips and Scott Silver bring mental illness and class resentment into Arthur’s story, then give those subjects less attention than his growing hostility. They need not supply a diagnosis or a programme for social reform. They do need to make the connections between hurt and cruelty feel considered, rather than keep adding reasons for us to feel aggrieved on Arthur’s behalf. The violence is disturbing, but disturbance alone does not make the surrounding ideas convincing. The writing has too little curiosity about anyone else.

The Scorsese influence makes the film’s limitations harder to overlook. Phillips borrows an urban atmosphere and a fascination with an alienated man, but brings too little curiosity about the society beyond him. Judged as a comic-book origin story, the concentration on a single damaged person is welcome and gives Phoenix space to work. It does not excuse how often the social commentary stops at telling us that people are cruel.

There is enough control in the acting and enough care in the images to make *Joker* worth considering for those drawn to a punishing character study. We would not dismiss the skill required to hold attention this tightly around such an abrasive figure. But 122 minutes is a long time to spend with a film that keeps insisting on what we have already understood. See it for Phoenix, with modest expectations of the social commentary.

*Fi1m score 63, published 15 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews lean positive, but agreement is strongest around Joaquin Phoenix rather than the film surrounding him. Critics repeatedly praise the physical control and intensity of his performance, with even several detractors finding him compelling as Arthur Fleck. Supporters also value the oppressive urban atmosphere, sustained tension and emphasis on character over comic-book spectacle, reading the film as an unsettling account of alienation and resentment.

The divide is wide over whether that account has much to say. Time Out finds psychological depth and a forceful vision of capitalism; The New York Times sees borrowed style, shallow themes and little meaningful engagement with the real world. Reservations elsewhere cluster around confused politics, repetitive misery and violence whose causes receive too little attention. The Scorsese influences similarly split opinion: admirers find the pastiche effective, while sceptics see imitation substituting for insight, even when they admire the images or Phoenix’s commitment.

## Straight answers

**Is Joker worth watching?**

*Joker* is worth watching for Joaquin Phoenix, and we scored it 63. His performance makes Arthur Fleck's distress painful to watch, and the neglected city around him looks convincingly real. The social commentary is much weaker, repeating its grievances about cruelty and class rather than examining them, so go in with modest expectations of the ideas.

**How long is Joker, and what is it rated?**

*Joker* runs 2h 02m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a crime and thriller film.

**Where can I watch Joker in the US?**

*Joker* is streaming on HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, The Roku Channel and Hulu in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from $5.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Joker, and is it suitable for children?**

*Joker* is a 15 certificate in the UK and R in the US, and it is not suitable for children. The violence is disturbing, and the film dwells on mental illness, resentment and misery without relief. Teenagers old enough for the certificate will manage it; the squeamish should know the mood is oppressive from the start.

**How does Joker compare to The King of Comedy?**

*Joker* borrows its urban atmosphere and its fascination with an alienated man from Martin Scorsese, and [*The King of Comedy*](https://film.one/film/the-king-of-comedy) is the better film. Scorsese lets discomfort develop quietly and makes it painfully funny, where Phillips keeps insisting on the same complaint. Choose *Joker* for a punishing performance; choose the earlier film for sharper, sourer comedy about unwanted attention.

**What should I watch after Joker?**

After *Joker*, try [*The King of Comedy*](https://film.one/film/the-king-of-comedy) (1982, Fi1m 88): Public recognition becomes an unhealthy obsession, with discomfort allowed to develop quietly. Then [*Cure*](https://film.one/film/cure) (1997, Fi1m 85): A quieter study of violence, with more room for uncertainty and dread; and [*Nightcrawler*](https://film.one/film/nightcrawler) (2014, Fi1m 85): Another disturbing lead performance, with a sharper account of who rewards cruelty.

### Reviews we read (20)

- **Radio Times**, Emma Simmonds (5/5): Praises the gritty, socially conscious take, Phoenix's chilling compelling turn, and its relevance as a study of how monsters are made. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/joker-film-review/)
- **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (5/5): The critic calls it a brilliantly visceral reinvention with a devastating, magnetic performance from Phoenix, highlighting its nightmarish vision of capitalism and psychological depth. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/joker-1)
- **Total Film** (5/5): More character study than comic book movie, Joker is a bravura blockbuster anchored by an Oscar-worthy Joaquin Phoenix that goes deeper, darker and more disturbing than any other in the genre. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/joker-movie-review/)
- **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (Critics Pick): The critic hails the film as a hypnotically perverse and gripping urban nightmare that expresses real-world issues through its comic-book lens. He singles out Joaquin Phoenix's astonishing, mesmerizing performance as the damaged protagonist for particular praise. [Read](https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/joker-review-joaquin-phoenix-todd-phillips-1203317033/)
- **Screen Daily** (80/100, inferred): It delivers a fan-servicing blockbuster that highlights what is captivating about the character while offering a sobering critique of the nihilism; praises Phoenix's raw talent and the psychologically complex character study. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/joker-venice-review/5142412.article)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (80/100, inferred): The critic highlights Joaquin Phoenix’s mesmerising physical performance as the film’s ace card in this divisive reimagining of the comic villain. The film draws on Scorsese influences for its dyspeptic worldview but earns raw power from the lead turn amid moral backlash over its embittered tone. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/oct/06/joker-review-joaquin-phoenix-ace-turn)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney (80/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's atmospheric neo-noir style and Phoenix's riveting performance as the Joker, highlighting the pathos brought to the disenfranchised character and its social commentary. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/joker-review-1235309/)
- **Sight and Sound**, Christina Newland (65/100, inferred): The critic praises Joaquin Phoenix's magnetic performance as the alienated antihero but criticizes the film's ideological confusion and superficial ideas, while noting it is a thrill to watch on entertainment factor. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/joker-review-joaquin-phoenixs-alienated-antihero-no-laughing-matter)
- **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (30/100, inferred): The critic dismisses the film as an empty and shallow exercise in second-hand style that is not interesting enough to argue about. He singles out its lack of coherent themes or imaginative contact with the real world for complaint. [Read](https://nytimes.com/2019/10/03/movies/joker-review.html)
- **Vulture**, David Edelstein (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film tedious and opportunistic, criticizing its repetitive one-note portrayal of violence and resentment, though acknowledging Phoenix's performance. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2019/10/joker-movie-review-joaquin-phoenix-as-arthur-fleck.html)
- **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane (20/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a miserabilist manifesto and a calculated product rather than a work of art, complaining that it invites viewers to watch violence grow without serious interest in its causes. He praises Joaquin Phoenix's physical performance and control. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/10/07/todd-phillips-joker-is-no-laughing-matter)
- **Empire**, Terri White: The film is a bold, devastating and utterly beautiful reimagining of the comic book movie, liberated from the DC Universe and focused entirely on character. Phoenix delivers an astonishing, captivating performance as Arthur Fleck. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/joker/)
- **Evening Standard**, David Sexton: Joker is a surprising, impressive and entertaining high-impact pastiche of Scorsese films with a tour-de-force performance from Phoenix, but the film endorses resentments in a way that leaves a hateful aftertaste. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/joker-review-the-most-dangerous-clown-in-town-a4253971.html)
- **Film Comment**, Phoebe Chen: The critic argues that the film bungles its relation to violence through derivative Scorsese aping and fails to meaningfully engage its politics or social themes. Phoenix's grotesque physical performance is singled out as compelling yet ultimately part of a flawed, aesthetically driven whole. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/review-joker/)
- **NME**, Greg Wetherall (90/100, inferred): The critic hails the film as an instant classic and outstanding edge-of-your-seat psychodrama, crediting Phoenix's tour-de-force performance for making an anti-hero both repulsive and compelling. It singles out the assured direction and melancholic tone punctuated by shocking violence for particular praise. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/joker-review-a-melancholic-psychodrama-punctuated-by-splashes-of-shocking-violence-2543865)
- **Den of Geek**, Richard Jordan (4/5): The review praises the film as a gritty, unsettling character study unlike typical comic-book movies, with an extraordinary transformative performance from Phoenix at its center. It singles out the strong '70s New York-inspired world-building and sustained edge-of-your-seat tension for praise. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/joker-review-a-comic-book-movie-like-no-other/)
- **The Ringer**, Rob Harvilla (45/100, inferred): The critic describes the film as an exercise in empty provocations and button-pushing that is not a total failure but ultimately celebrates its own nihilistic emptiness, with Phoenix's performance and striking images providing some compensation amid the trolling and self-referentiality. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2019/10/08/movies/joker-todd-phillips-joaquin-phoenix-gary-glitter-taxi-driver-king-of-comedy-martin-scorsese)
- **Polygon**, Karen Han (35/100, inferred): The critic finds Joaquin Phoenix's physical performance impressive yet ultimately unable to elevate the material, as the film offers a shallow portrait of its protagonist and fails to deliver meaningful commentary. Phillips' stylistic choices prioritize grim imagery over substance or insight into mental illness or class issues. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/2019/10/3/20893138/joker-review-joaquin-phoenix-robert-de-niro-todd-phillips/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Adam Solomons (30/100, inferred): The film is a visually impressive but ultimately disjointed and unpleasant origin story that falls apart after the midpoint into directionless nihilism. Phoenix's committed performance stands out amid otherwise wasted supporting roles and a lack of moral or thematic coherence. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/joker-review/)
- **The Wrap**: The film is an exquisitely crafted but ultimately hollow period piece that borrows heavily from Scorsese without adding much new to the Joker's backstory beyond mental illness and abuse. Phoenix's divisive, highly performative turn as Arthur Fleck is the main element singled out. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/joker-film-review-joaquin-phoenix-robert-de-niro-dc-2019/)

## Details

- **Director:** Todd Phillips
- **Director:** Todd Phillips
- **Writer:** Todd Phillips, Scott Silver
- **Cinematography:** Lawrence Sher
- **Editor:** Jeff Groth
- **Music:** Hildur Guðnadóttir
- **Production design:** Mark Friedberg
- **Costume design:** Mark Bridges
- **Producer:** Todd Phillips, Bradley Cooper, Emma Tillinger Koskoff
- **Cast:** Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck; Robert De Niro as Murray Franklin; Zazie Beetz as Sophie Dumond; Frances Conroy as Penny Fleck; Brett Cullen as Thomas Wayne; Shea Whigham as Detective Burke; Bill Camp as Detective Garrity; Glenn Fleshler as Randall
- **Runtime:** 2h 02m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 4 October 2019
- **Genres:** Crime, Thriller, Drama
- **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 2019); [BAFTA Best Film winners](https://film.one/collections/bafta-best-film.md) (Nominee, 2019); [Golden Globe Best Drama winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-drama.md) (Nominee, 2019); [Golden Lion winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-lion.md) (Winner, 2019)
- **Budget:** $55 million
- **Box office:** $1.08 billion
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RFFRxcoKfA

## Where to watch in the US

- HBO Max: streaming, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd
- Apple TV: add-on, hd
- The Roku Channel: add-on, hd
- Hulu: add-on, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $5.99, uhd
- Apple TV: rent $5.99, hd
- Apple TV: buy $7.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $14.99, uhd

*Checked 2026-09-15.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2020: Best Picture (nominated); Best Actor (won); Best Original Score (won)
- Robert Award for Best English Language Film 2020: Robert Award for Best English Language Film (won)

## If you liked this

- *The King of Comedy* (1982), Fi1m 88: Public recognition becomes an unhealthy obsession, with discomfort allowed to develop quietly. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-king-of-comedy.md)
- *The Fire Within* (1963): A more attentive, less insistent account of despair and the failure of companionship.
- *Cure* (1997), Fi1m 85: A quieter study of violence, with more room for uncertainty and dread. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/cure.md)
- *Nightcrawler* (2014), Fi1m 85: Another disturbing lead performance, with a sharper account of who rewards cruelty. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/nightcrawler.md)
- *The Machinist* (2004): Another committed physical performance in a grim character study, with tighter plotting.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/joker