I can't not ask - Joker?

October 1, 2019 9:57 AM

Sorry if this has been brought up before, but I'm wondering if there is interest in posting on Joker here. I'm a little worried that it might get overrun by people who haven't seen the film.

I've seen it and have issues with it, but also feel that the mainstream coverage of it has been really off the mark overall. I just read a discussion in the Hollywood Reporter this morning that was more along the lines of what I've been hoping to explore. Maybe this is just too much of a lightning rod. Wondering what other people think.

I believe I need to disclose that I work for WB, though not in a marketing/publicity capacity.

posted by queensissy (6 comments total)

I haven't seen it and I'm not feeling particularly psyched to see it in the theaters currently, but I'm very curious to read discussion from folks who have seen it.
posted by rmd1023 at 12:43 PM on October 1, 2019 [1 favorite]

I'd say so. I haven't seen it and frankly was a bit concerned about going to early screenings, but I'll probably end up seeing it in the theater soon. There's still a live thread on the blue, but that's mostly about early reviews and concerns about violence around it, etc.
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:04 PM on October 1, 2019 [1 favorite]

I won't see it but mostly because I'm curtailing my consumption of stories focused on toxic masculinity that don't show a meaningful pathway out or well-executed transition away from that. My last straw was Ad Astra; I left the theater thinking: after all those lives and trillions of dollars, all the main characters needed was (space) family therapy.

I'm interested to read commentary here from those who've seen it, since this crowd is pretty good at analysis and won't take bullshit from creators for the most part.
posted by emkelley at 9:21 AM on October 3, 2019 [7 favorites]

I am amused at the number of folks pointing out that the real suspension-of-disbelief killer in this movie is that rich finance bros know the words to all the verses of "Send in the Clowns"
posted by rmd1023 at 6:30 AM on October 4, 2019 [2 favorites]

FYI
posted by youarenothere at 3:55 PM on October 6, 2019 [1 favorite]

I am completely confused about Joker. I have seen the trailer and was, like emkelley above supernope about seeing it. I imagine it's a very good film, but I don't want to pay to look at men behaving horrificially anymore. BUT, within a day or two I had seen two friends who I would absolutely have thought felt the exact same way raving about how great the film was. So I am very confused. Is it maybe criticizing toxic masculinity? But we all know how that worked for Fight Club...
posted by Iteki at 11:34 AM on October 27, 2019