Overview
A haunting exploration of a man's descent into madness and chaos in a society that has forgotten him.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- bleak
- brooding
- disturbing
- intense solo viewing
- dark movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Joaquin Phoenix’s transformative performance, direction, and atmosphere while finding the film thematically provocative but uneven and derivative.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Arthur is isolated by poverty, mental health difficulties, abuse, and the loss of social support.
The production treats the Joker mythology as a grounded psychological crime drama with social commentary.
Arthur’s clown work, failed stand-up ambitions, and fascination with Murray Franklin center his longing to be seen.
Arthur’s life unfolds amid economic hardship, public hostility, and pervasive social disconnection.
Films like Joker, and why
Taxi Driver
shares a psychologically intense descent into violence, social alienation, and urban criminality
The King of Comedy
shares a bleak urban atmosphere, unstable protagonist, and corrosive social commentary
Falling Down
shares a troubled outsider protagonist, grim crime drama, and morally unsettling transformation
Movie Details
- Director
- Todd Phillips
- Release Date
- 2019-10-01
- Runtime
- 122 min
- Rating
- 8.1 / 10 (28401)
Cast
- Joaquin Phoenix
- Robert De Niro
- Zazie Beetz
- Frances Conroy
- Brett Cullen
- Shea Whigham
- Bill Camp
- Glenn Fleshler
- Leigh Gill
- Josh Pais
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, TNT, TBS, tru TV, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Joker about?
- A marginalized clown’s desperate hunger for dignity curdles into a violent public persona in Todd Phillips’s bleak character study.
- What is Joker like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Joker as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Joker violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Joker as graphic.
- What did critics think of Joker?
- Critics broadly praised Joaquin Phoenix’s transformative performance, direction, and atmosphere while finding the film thematically provocative but uneven and derivative.
- Which films are like Joker?
- Films with a similar feel include Taxi Driver, The King of Comedy, and Falling Down.
- How long is Joker?
- Joker runs 122 minutes.
- Where can I watch Joker?
- In United States, Joker streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, TNT, TBS, tru TV, HBO Max.
